From the Founder
I'm a tech founder. Father of four kids under eight. Busy as can be. And my phone addiction was at an all-time high.
The breaking point came when I had my two youngest daughters in the bathtub. It was one of those perfect, fleeting moments — giggles, splashing, pure magic. And I couldn't help myself. I pulled out my phone to check X. I wanted to read about politics.
I was missing a beautiful moment with my kids because I wanted to read about politics.
"We're in an age where AI, social media, and politics make for deeply entertaining content — available 24/7. It's all designed to keep our attention. And it doesn't matter how disciplined you are. It finds a way in."
I tried the Light Phone. I tried Brick. I tried deleting all my apps and removing Safari. But there's always a reason to revert — travel, an event, some excuse.
The trouble with dumb phones is they're too dumb. The problem with smartphones is they will never stop you, because their business model relies on addiction.
So I had to make a change. I wanted a phone that could help me be "in the world, but not of it."
I need my phone to help me with tasks, keep me productive, help me run my business. But I don't want it to have anything addictive on it. The answer was to build my own.
As I was building it, I realized that everyone's phone needs are personal. To truly have a locked-down utility phone, you need the apps relevant to your life, your business. So building on the work of the LineageOS team and the MicroG project, I was able to create a custom phone that can be configured quickly for anybody.
This project is not about making money. It's about freedom. It's about unlocking minds and souls. I'm doing it for the love. The small fee we charge is about paying for the hardware and the time to do the setup. Then it's over to you.
I should stress: if you're technical, there's always a way around the lock. But the technical barrier with UTILITY requires you to be an Android developer — something none of our customers will be.
I hope this phone blesses your life, frees your mind, and gives you back the small moments that life is really all about.
"As Steinbeck says, 'God is the fabric that connects us all together.' If that is true, the smartphone is the scissors actively cutting that fabric."
"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off."
Let's cut it off.