Unplugged privacy phone faces scrutiny

The UP Phone from Unplugged, backed by Erik Prince, aims for privacy and a US-made future, but experts warn the promise may outpace reality.

Unplugged privacy phone faces scrutiny over security claims

Unplugged, the startup backed by Erik Prince, has released a major update to the UP Phone. The device keeps its privacy features, including a hardware kill switch that cuts power when off, a built in firewall, a no logs VPN, a central Privacy Center app, and settings that emphasize data control. It runs UnpluggedOS, an Android fork without Google Mobile Services. The price stays at 989 dollars and includes the first year of Unplugged privacy service, with renewals at 12.99 a month or 129.99 a year.

The company says it will eventually build the updated UP Phone in the United States, creating jobs and reducing foreign supply chain dependence. For now, the phones are manufactured in Indonesia, with US assembly planned later; components will still come from abroad. Privacy experts have mixed views. GrapheneOS once called the UP Phone a clear cut scam, while Lookout's Christophe Hebeisen cautioned that a smaller company's security updates may lag behind big players. Others say the device could appeal to highly exposed users, but real security is broader than a single gadget.

The UP Phone sits in a small but growing corner of the tech world where privacy claims meet political branding. Erik Prince’s involvement adds a public politics layer that could both attract attention and invite skepticism. The pledge to move production to the United States is as much about image as manufacturing capability, because core components and supply chains remain tied to overseas suppliers. Experts warn that small firms lack the scale of bigger players for rapid security updates, and that credibility hinges on transparent testing and long term support.

Highlights

Privacy moves at the speed of trust and transparency.