Native Union POP Phone review: Retro phone handset brings vintage style

Macworld

At a glanceExpert's Rating

Pros

Cool retro style

Comfortable grip

Ergonomic like phones used to be

USB-C connection to iPhone

Cons

Not compatible with Lightning (iPhone 14 or earlier)

Our Verdict
With this vintage gadget you can transport yourself back to the 1960s, 70s and 80s when phones only looked smart.

Price When Reviewed
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Tired of modern life and yearning for the old days when a phone was a phone and not a computer full of tempting apps and beeping notifications? Frustrated by a cricked neck or strained wrist from doing all your talking on a thin rectangular slab of metal and glass, or dreaming of the ergonomic delight of a phone with proper ear and mouth pieces that nestles to the side of your head?

One of Macworld’s favorite Apple accessory makers Native Union has relaunched the vintage phone handset—it works with today’s devices to make comfortable calls feel like proper conversations again.




Simon Jary

Forget you’re on an iPhone

The POP Phone is big and chunky and available in a range of bold colors that bring personality back to making phone calls.

With it in hand you won’t be tempted by modern day distractions such as doom scrolling, checking the sports results, Facebook Reels, TikTok videos or the latest Instagram posts. Think about the person you’re talking to, not the device they have contacted you on.




Simon Jary

Made with recycled materials, the POP Phone also keeps your phone away from your face and so reduces exposure to 99% of mobile radiation, claims Native Union. We don’t know the science behind such claims but holding a device up to your face for long periods of time isn’t ever going to be a health benefit.




Native Union

Not just an iPhone gadget

The USB-C connection plugs straight into your iPhone (15 or later), MacBook or iPad. You don’t need to pair or even charge the thing. As it’s USB-C it will work only with iPhones 15 or later; older iPhones use Apple’s Lightning connector. The same goes for older iPads, but you have to go back ten years to find a Mac without a USB-C or compatible Thunderbolt port.

Because you’re talking right into the mic and listening with the speaker to your ear, the sound quality is clear in both directions. The person on the other end of the call won’t even know you’re using it unless you are on a Zoom, Teams or FaceTime video call when they can marvel at your retro gadget. It’s a guaranteed meeting ice-breaker.




Simon Jary

In the handset arm there’s a built-in pick up and hang up button, so you never need to touch your phone’s screen. We’d love it even more if there was a dock that you could put the handset in to physically hang up, which is a more exciting way to end a call than just tapping on the touchscreen.

The POP Phone is way more tactile than touchscreens, and the smooth plastic body feels great against your ear—you can even twiddle with the curly cord while you’re talking. In fact, you can’t help doing it.

You’re unlikely to carry the POP Phone around in your pocket or handbag for every call you make, but it’s fun to use and makes people stop and stare in nostalgic envy or just plain Gen Z confusion.




Native Union

Price

The Native Union POP Phone costs $39.99 / £34.99 and makes a great gift to a friend or yourself. It’s also available at Amazon.

It’s available in a range of eight colors: Black, Alarm Red, Pine, Sandstone, Lemon, Candy, Azur and Slate Green.

For other great gift ideas, check our Gift Guide for iPhone Users and Gift Guide for Mac users.




Native Union

Should you buy the Native Union POP Phone?

When you see this piece of vintage tech, you’ll either be young enough to be curious about what the hell it is and question why something has to be this big, or want one immediately to transport yourself back to the 1960s, 70s and 80s when phones only looked smart.