Commodore's New Flip Phone Skips Android for Linux-Based Sailfish OS

A year has passed since Commodore, the computer brand many of you know and love, came back from the dead under new ownership.

The comeback is picking up pace too, with a lineup that already includes multiple Commodore 64 Ultimate editions, a C64X PC, and a licensing program that invites outside builders to use the name.

Now, they have announced a return to the phone market, and not in the doomscrolling glass-slab avatar we are all used to, but in a retro, very equippable flip phone format.

Making Flip Phones Great Again

The Commodore Callback 8020 is what comes out when a flip phone skips Android and goes toward a privacy-respecting Linux-based mobile operating system instead. In this case, Jolla's Sailfish OS, known for having great Android app compatibility without Google's surveillance baked in.

Jolla's CEO, Sami Pienimäki, says that it was chosen after Commodore evaluated competing platforms, citing Sailfish OS' design language and stance on privacy as the deciding factors.

As for what else it offers in terms of software, browsers and social media apps are blocked at the system level, with no toggle to turn the restrictions off. WhatsApp comes preinstalled, and Signal, Telegram, and WeChat are all supported, with iMessage possible through a third-party bridge.

Additionally, the official material points out that over 99% of Android apps are supported. Users can even control a Commodore 64 Ultimate's LEDs from the Callback 8020, as long as both are on the same Wi-Fi network.

The Specs

The polycarbonate-bodied phone is powered by a MediaTek Helio G81 chip with passive cooling, paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage (expandable via microSD), which should be enough for a phone built around doing less rather than more.

Flip it up, and you will see a 3.25-inch IPS display featuring a 480x640 resolution inside and a 1.77-inch VFD-style screen on the outside. Below the main screen sits a tactile T9 keypad, with dedicated Fn keys flanking the big Commodore key.

Camera duties fall to a 48MP Sony sensor on the back, with autofocus on both the front and rear lenses for video calls. A removable 1550mAh battery keeps things running as you use the device and receive notifications on the Dome-LED system (look at the light bar below the keypad).

For connectivity, you get dual-SIM 4G support with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, hotspot, and GPS capabilities.

Get Yours

The Callback 8020 is being offered in five colorways: ProtoPET White, SX Silver, BASIC Beige, Starlight Edition, and Founders Edition. Swappable back covers and a protective case are sold separately for anyone who wants to change the look of their device later.

Pricing starts at $499 for ProtoPET White, SX Silver, and BASIC Beige. Starlight Edition runs $549.99, and the Founders Edition tops out at $640. These are discounted prices, and signing up for the waitlist unlocks an extra $50 off that will apply on June 30 when pre-orders open.

Units are set to ship this winter, though Commodore hasn't given a specific date, and the window could easily run into early 2027.

Join The Waitlist

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