We all know how glued we’ve become to our phones, but how many of us are truly able to do anything about it? The truth is, most of us aren’t. And Sage Mobile is betting that the answer isn’t more willpower – it’s a better phone.
The British subsidiary of Techless, Inc. and sister brand to the US-based Wisephone is taking the first step toward rebuilding a society rooted in real human connection.
Not internet connection (in case that’s where your mind went), but genuine, face-to-face presence. Indeed, their latest release in the UK doesn’t want your attention — it wants to protect it.
The world’s first “healthy iPhone” comes with a sharp premise: take the world’s most recognisable smartphone, strip out the distractions, and start again with intention.
Here’s what you get with Sage Mobile
Sage customers get a sleek Apple iPhone 16, 16 Pro, or refurb with no social media, browser, or app store installed. And thanks to Sage’s proprietary, unbreakable software, you can’t install any of these apps or functionalities yourself either.
The custom operating system – SageOS – is designed to eliminate the digital chaos that now defines modern screen time. Messages, camera, music, calendar and maps remain; everything else is gone.
The rise of online grooming
The timing of this launch is no accident. The UK is in the middle of a digital reckoning. And while both adults and children are feeling the effects of a social media-first world, children are bearing the brunt of the harm. Over 7,000 online grooming crimes were recorded in 2023/2024, an 89% increase over the past six years.
The most common platforms that perpetrators used to target children online include, unsurprisingly, Snapchat (with a staggering 48% share), followed by WhatsApp, Facebook and Messenger, and Instagram (the latter three all owned by Meta).
Parents are desperate. Many resort to deleting apps, tweaking settings, or limiting screen time. But these measures can be temporary, reversible, and exhausting to police. Sage Mobile offers a different approach: let the phone be the bad guy. With software that’s safe by default, Sage takes the pressure off parents and helps children rebuild their habits.
Chris Kaspar, CEO and Founder of Techless, is clear that Sage is building not a safety net, but a system. “We didn’t want to build a ‘parental control’ phone,” he says. “We wanted to build a device that’s safe by design, not safe by surveillance.”
Price and subscription model
The price is steep, with plans starting from £89 a month. The monthly subscription model includes the phone itself, mobile service, software updates and optional AppleCare+.
There are no long-term lock-in contracts and users get a phone upgrade every two years. When the iPhone 16 eventually gets outdated (faster that we know), your child can switch to the newest, coolest model.
£89 a month isn’t your typical phone bill — but then again, what’s the cost of protecting your child from algorithms, data harvesting, and online predators?
Why UK adults need a healthy phone too
Children may be the most obvious audience for this healthy iPhone. However, adults haven’t been immune to the impact of social media either. While challenging to quantify, there are a growing number of studies linking social media use to mental health issues.
UCL researches recently found that adults who frequently post on social media are at more risk of developing mental health problems than those who passively view social media content. Researchers also found a link between the compulsive use of digital technology and higher levels of loneliness.
This phone serves all of us — the ones who’ve already quit social media, the ones who want to but haven’t quite managed it, and the ones who are just beginning to realise how addicted they are.
In the US, Sage’s sibling brand Wisephone has already built a loyal user base, selling out four times consecutively. Now, Sage Mobile is bringing its healthy iPhone to the UK. Pre-orders are open, with the first devices shipping from 25 August. You can pre-order on the Sage Mobile website.