The Commodore Callback 8020 flip phone looks like it’s from decades ago but its price was definitely a sign of today’s times. That’s changed, with Commodore’s announcement today that it will drop the price $100 for most models before pre-orders start next week.
The phone caused a stir when it was announced a week ago. First, there was the thrill of 80s computing legend Commodore making a phone. Then the phone being retro in both look and function caught attention, with a flip-phone form factor combined with a focus on privacy. But one of the most unique features of the Callback 8020 is that it runs Android apps on Linux-based Sailfish OS instead of Android. Among all of the praise though, was criticism that a $500 starting price for the basic models was too high.
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29 Jun 2026 17:21
This is comical.
Commodore said that three factors were the primary cause of what consumers felt was a high price for the phone. At the top of the list is the one plaguing the entire industry: RAM pricing.
How much RAM could a phone like this use, anyway?
Also, saying that they "listened" is bullshit. They just got worried they were priced too high so it wouldn't sell. So they lowered it. If they listened they wouldn't have it locked in with WhatsApp, a Meta/Facebook product as the only IM option other than SMS.
29 Jun 2026 17:23
Their info page says 4GB+64GB...so I assume that might be 4GB RAM and 64 internal storagr
29 Jun 2026 17:50
I think the problem is that they grossly over estimated how many people actually wanted to buy a "legit" Commodore branded Commodore Ultimate when they came up with the idea to buy the Commodore brand.
Now they are trying to come up with ways to make it profitable but they don't really seem to understand Product Market Fit.
I think it would be a better idea to do some high quality branded merch.
29 Jun 2026 18:05
AFAIK they've already fully paid off the commodore IP acquisition from C64 ultimate sales, but as you say, that cannot sustain them forever.
The phone is pretty much entirely just the CEO's personal opinion of what a phone should be, which he's
been making videos about from before the acquisition, and they appear to have done almost zero market research what the customers would want and be willing to pay..
29 Jun 2026 19:07
The CEO of Commodore appears to be completely out of touch on people's perception of AI use, as they've been using it a fair amount in videos and the advertising for this phone (AI music and AI video generation) since buying Commodore, and poorly justifying it in the comments of their videos with links to
their FAQ.
29 Jun 2026 19:10
Yes, I think part of the trick is that the CEO is a great video producer and has a large fanbase for his yt channel who are very enthusiastic about his ideas even if they won't actually buy such a phone.
29 Jun 2026 19:14
Fuck this shitphone, it's ai slop
29 Jun 2026 19:44
$500-$100=$400.00... that's still $300 too much.
29 Jun 2026 20:12
The cynic in me is thinking this was an intentional marketing ploy.
1. Price too high
2. Outlets, outraged by the price talk about the features of the phone in detail, questioning how can this hardware cost cost so much
3. Lower the price to your original (but secret) intent.
4. Outlets now talk about how much more reasonable that is, how nice of the company to listen!
You get 2 rounds of media attention for the price of one.
29 Jun 2026 20:24
For a phone that is toted as being privacy respecting, its fucked they are preinstalling software from one of the worst privacy invading companies on the planet.
Disappointing
29 Jun 2026 21:17
Ya I'd
maybe pay $200. As someone else mentioned, you could use it to augment your current setup by having a phone to take out with you so people can still reach you on this thing to reduce the burden of all the regular smartphone stuff
29 Jun 2026 21:19
Commodore is dead. Was dead for some 50+ years. If you want to revitalize said brand, you don't ride it like a horse (that is dead) but make something of value. Android flipphone with preinstalled meta software that blocks you from installing and using other apps is just crude.
29 Jun 2026 23:09
It really upsets me that block web browser apps… WTF.
So not we have to get apps that get all types of information from the device instead.
Huge NO for me.
29 Jun 2026 23:41
The phone caused a stir when it was announced a week ago. First, there was the thrill of 80s computing legend Commodore making a phone.
garbage "journalism". the writer should have really known the company has nothing to do with the original Commodore, other than buying rights to use the name.
30 Jun 2026 00:27
Lemmy
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