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Restricted iPhone launched in the UK by Sage Mobile.
Hobbled handset aimed at kids.
‘Rebellion against digital noise’ for grown-ups too.

Tech brand Sage Mobile, has unveiled what it describes as the world’s first healthy iPhone for children and teenagers, offering distraction-free simplicity with no social media, internet browsers, or data driven apps.

Launched in the UK, the mobile has been designed to “safeguard mental health” and “reduce online risk to UK families.” The launch also signals the worldwide expansion of US-based Techless, Inc., the company behind Wisephone which is “on a mission to overcome digital addiction, rebuild relationships, and embrace life to the fullest.”

The Sage Mobile internet-safe mobile will debut two iPhone models, the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 Pro, both preinstalled with Sage software that removes common digital distractions, like app store access, social media, internet browser, and other features that may expose users to harmful content online.

Only essential tools are pre-loaded, including a camera, calendar, maps, music, and messages, while factory reset is not possible and explicit images are blocked. Bundled into a monthly subscription, Sage Mobile includes the iPhone hardware installed with Sage software. It offers AppleCare on the 16e and AppleCare+ on the 16 Pro at no additional cost.

The release of Sage Mobile comes after a recent NSPCC report found more than 7,000 online grooming crimes were reported in one year in the UK. Most of these victims were aged just 12 to 15. By removing the very platforms predators use, Sage aims to eliminate such risks.

Sage Mobile is designed for children beginning their digital life and adults looking to forge a healthier relationship with technology. CEO and Founder of Techless, Chris Kasper, said the mobile “helps people reconnect with real life, not just reduce screen time.”

As more phone users start to identify unhealthy behaviours surrounding their tech use, Sage Mobile is set to stand as part of a “rebellion against digital noise,” reducing doom-scrolling and reintroducing many of us to the ‘real world’.

The pressure on parents and carers to allow their charges access to smartphones is immense in many parts of the world, with a child’s first smartphone almost representing the coming of adulthood. However, without oversight and control, devices open the digital floodgates from the internet to impressionable minds. Australia is currently one of the first countries in the world to attempt to bar children from access to social media, a move which is facing opposition from affected children.

Sage Mobile’s healthy option may prove popular with parents and those adults needing a break from their digital lives, but likely less so with any child gifted the device.

(Image source: “Hobbling Horse” by Son of Groucho is licensed under CC BY 2.0.)