Blackwater’s founder would like to sell you a privacy phone made in the USA
The UP Phone’s core hardware hasn’t changed since its first iteration. | Image: Unplugged
Unplugged, a company cofounded and backed by Erik Prince, who is also the founder of infamous private military contractor Blackwater, has just released a new version of its "privacy-first" UP Phone that will be made in the US - at some point.
The original UP Phone was described by the company as "the ultimate privacy-focused smartphone" and by privacy platform GrapheneOS as "a clear cut scam." (It was first announced in June 2022, though it didn't reach customers until 2024; Unplugged wouldn't tell me how many units were sold, only that it sold out within three hours.) Now, Unplugged has launched a "major update" to the phone. Echoing claim …