Hello, Terrance. Apologies for the slow response. I needed to sync up with our CTO to get aligned. Here are the answers in the order of the questions:
-
We understand that the privacy and security space is rife with skepticism, which is both healthy and necessary. Given the prevalence of misleading products in this domain, it’s not uncommon for new entrants to be met with suspicion. In our case, individuals have labeled us a “scam” without firsthand experience of our product, and in certain cases, critiques were made even before our phone was available.
Additionally, as observed earlier in this thread, some criticisms stem from personal opinions about our founders rather than the product itself. Despite this, we’ve seen a growing number of customers who are satisfied with their UP Phones. There are testimonials all over X. -
Thank you for sharing the 1Password links. This is a nice resource and format. We are actively conducting security audits of our infrastructure and devices to ensure robustness and integrity. While these audits are currently intended for internal use, we recognize the value of public third-party validation and are working toward that in the future.
-
What will Unplugged look like in 10 years? Unplugged is about more than just privacy. Our vision is to establish the company as a leading provider of mobile and computing solutions that are more transparent and more accountable to our users than any of the large tech companies which have dominated the technology marketplace for the last three decades. The Big Tech space is full of monopolistic and abusive behavior. We envision a future that gives people a real alternative, designed to enhance their personal freedoms in every aspect: privacy, security, free speech, ownership of personal data, the freedom to transact, etc.
While we believe there’s still significant potential to enhance our current hardware, with new features to be announced soon, we also plan to develop multiple generations of UP Phones. Our focus will remain on delivering devices that prioritize user privacy without compromising usability. -
When it comes to privacy hardening, our approach focuses on real improvements that balance strong protection with ease of use. A key example is our Privacy Center, which gives users a simple way to manage and improve their privacy settings. It includes both privacy and security features that rely on deeper OS-level changes and direct control over hardware components.
Our built-in firewall monitors and controls network activity, and we are actively working on expanding its capabilities. Upcoming releases will provide deeper visibility into app network behavior and traffic patterns. We’re also investing in system optimization, fine-tuning the OS to reduce unnecessary privacy risks and improve security, all while maintaining a smooth user experience and optimizing battery performance, especially given the absence of GMS.