In a market dominated by feature-packed smartphones designed to track, analyze, and monetize every swipe, a small Nevada-based company is making waves with a radically different vision. The UP Phone, recently relaunched by Unplugged, is positioning itself as the device for those who value privacy over convenience — and it’s catching attention across the tech world in the last 72 hours.
Unlike the majority of Android handsets, the UP Phone doesn’t run the standard Google-certified operating system. Instead, it ships with UnpluggedOS, a custom Android variant stripped of Google Mobile Services. That means no Play Store, no built-in Google tracking, and no behind-the-scenes data harvesting — a bold statement in a time when “de-Googling” has become a movement among privacy advocates.
But Unplugged isn’t just removing trackers; they’re building a device from the ground up for security-conscious users. Features include:
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Firewall against app trackers: Every installed app is monitored, and suspicious network requests are blocked.
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No-log VPN: All traffic is routed through a secure VPN with zero data retention.
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Encrypted storage: User files, photos, and messages are locked behind full-device encryption.
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True hardware kill switches: When you power it down, radios really turn off — no background pings, no “ghost” connections.
Perhaps the most headline-grabbing part of the announcement is that the UP Phone will now be assembled in Nevada starting this fall. With supply chains still under global scrutiny, this U.S.-based production move is as much a branding choice as it is a logistical one, tapping into the growing “made local” sentiment.
The company says the device will ship in late September, with a price tag just under $1,000 (the current model is $989). Critics point out that the hardware specs lean toward mid-range — meaning the premium price is more about ideology than cutting-edge performance. Yet for its target audience, that’s the point. The UP Phone isn’t competing with the iPhone 16 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra; it’s competing with the idea that you must trade privacy for functionality.
The launch sparked an avalanche of discussions online. Tech bloggers are debating whether this could be the start of a privacy-first phone trend, while security professionals are cautiously optimistic. Early adopters are already lining up, seeing it as a chance to opt out of the constant surveillance economy without abandoning modern mobile capabilities.
The UP Phone may not win over the masses, but in a world where “free” apps often cost your personal data, it’s making a strong case that privacy itself can be a premium feature worth paying for. And judging by the buzz of the past three days, the message is resonating.
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