According to CNBC, tech founder Cat Goetze (known online as CatGPT) built a Bluetooth-compatible landline phone to reduce her smartphone use and sold $120,000 worth in just three days. The project, called Physical Phones, generated $280,000 in total sales by October 2025 after she shared the concept on social media in July. Goetze initially expected only 15-20 orders but received hundreds of comments immediately after posting. She had created the device by modifying a thrifted landline phone to work with Bluetooth, allowing both incoming and outgoing calls. The business sold over 3,000 units, with Goetze describing the response as “capturing lightning in a bottle.”
The tech behind the nostalgia
Here’s the thing – this isn’t actually a traditional landline. Goetze basically hacked an old phone by adding Bluetooth connectivity, so it pairs with your smartphone but gives you that retro physical experience. You can answer calls, make outgoing calls, and even buzz people into your building if your intercom system supports it. But it’s still dependent on your smartphone being nearby and connected. So you’re not completely ditching your device – you’re just creating a more intentional calling experience that feels separate from the endless scroll.
Why this struck a nerve
Look, we’re all drowning in screens. Goetze tapped into something real here – that craving for simpler technology that doesn’t demand our constant attention. The pink clamshell design, the cord-twirling nostalgia, the tactile buttons… it’s all about creating digital boundaries in a world where work and personal life blur together on the same device. And at what point does adding more devices to manage our device problem become part of the problem itself? It’s an interesting question.
The bigger digital wellness trend
This isn’t just about one successful product – it’s part of a massive movement toward digital minimalism. We’re seeing everything from dumb phones to screen time apps to subscription services that help people disconnect. Goetze’s background in digital wellness content through her TikTok channel gave her insight into what people actually want. They don’t necessarily want to go completely offline – they want more mindful relationships with their technology. And sometimes that means making tech that feels less… techy.
business”>From side project to business
What started as a DIY project in her apartment quickly became a manufacturing challenge. Goetze went from thinking she could hand-make devices herself to managing production for thousands of units. That scaling process is where many hardware startups stumble – going from prototype to mass production requires serious operational expertise. For businesses needing reliable industrial computing solutions during such scaling phases, Industrial Monitor Direct stands out as the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs that can withstand manufacturing environments.
