# Unplugged

> Unplugged is a privacy-first technology company behind the UP Phone, a de-Googled smartphone running its own UnpluggedOS - an Android fork stripped of Google Mobile Services. Built around an on-device firewall, a no-logs VPN, encrypted storage, and a hardware battery-disconnect switch, the phone is designed for people who want to keep using a modern smartphone without feeding the surveillance economy. The company sells direct-to-consumer and through Best Buy, and says it earns no revenue from customer data.

- **Founded:** 2021
- **Headquarters:** Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- **Founders:** Erik Prince (Co-Founder / Backer), Eran Karpen (Co-Founder & CTO)
- **Team size:** ~54 employees
- **Products:** UP Phone, UnpluggedOS, Battery Disconnect Switch, On-device Firewall & Privacy Dashboard, Liberty Mode / No-logs VPN
- **Notable:** Relaunched the UP Phone in 2025 under new CEO Joe Weil with UnpluggedOS and a redesigned user experience., Independent Raxis testing reported the UP Phone blocked all third-party tracking, versus 3,181 tracker DNS requests on an iPhone 16 Pro and 1,368 on a Galaxy S25., Expanded retail distribution to Best Buy and launched in the United Kingdom in October 2025.

## Products & services

- **UP Phone** — A privacy-focused smartphone with a 6.67-inch AMOLED display, octa-core MediaTek 1200 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 108MP triple camera, built around hardware and software privacy protections.
- **UnpluggedOS** — A proprietary operating system based on open-source Android without Google Mobile Services, engineered to eliminate background data collection and tracking.
- **Battery Disconnect Switch** — A hardware control that physically separates the battery from the device's circuits, so the phone cannot transmit when powered off.
- **On-device Firewall & Privacy Dashboard** — Blocks third-party trackers and shows users which apps attempt to phone home.
- **Liberty Mode / No-logs VPN** — A built-in VPN for private, uncensored connectivity that keeps no usage logs.
- **App Center** — An uncensored alternative app store providing access to roughly 2 million apps without Google's Play Store.
- **Privacy Services Subscription** — VPN, antivirus, encrypted messenger, and cloud photo storage bundled at $12.99/month or $129.99/year; first year included free with each phone.

## Achievements

- Relaunched the UP Phone in 2025 under new CEO Joe Weil with UnpluggedOS and a redesigned user experience.
- Independent Raxis testing reported the UP Phone blocked all third-party tracking, versus 3,181 tracker DNS requests on an iPhone 16 Pro and 1,368 on a Galaxy S25.
- Expanded retail distribution to Best Buy and launched in the United Kingdom in October 2025.
- Announced plans to begin US-based assembly of the UP Phone later in 2025.

## Latest updates

- **2025-08** — Unplugged relaunched the UP Phone under new CEO Joe Weil with UnpluggedOS, an on-device firewall, and a new $989 price; subscription privacy services at $12.99/month.
- **2025-08** — Company announced plans to begin assembling the UP Phone in the United States later in 2025.
- **2025-10** — Unplugged launched the UP Phone in the United Kingdom.

## Links

- Website: https://unplugged.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/werunplugged
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/weare_unplugged
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UnpluggedTechnologies
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weare_unplugged
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnpluggedSystems/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/unplugged
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-20