Hold the phone: start-up tech firm Insensi reinvents the landline

In our modern age, it’s no secret that it can be difficult for older generations to keep up with the ever-evolving nature of technology. However, launching a tech thingamabob that your grandparents will love is New York-based firm Insensi.
The 'Ily' phone is a modern take on the classic landline that hopes to inject a bit of life back into family conversation. Created with the simplest of technological interfaces, the phone incorporates an eight-inch touch screen that allows users to connect through the tap of a finger. For more tech savvy members of the family, the phone can also connect to WiFi and comes with apps for iOS and Android.
Explaining the inspiration behind the new telephone, Ilan Abehassera, founder and CEO of Insensi, says ‘even with multiple smartphones and tablets, it’s still difficult for the youngest and the oldest family members to talk regularly’. This concern about lack of contact is founded in a poll conducted by the technology firm, in which it was revealed that 85 per cent of grandparents feel like they do not speak to their grandchildren enough.
Adopting a sleek and contemporary aesthetic conceived by design firm Map, the 'Ily' will sit nicely in any modern home. Commenting on the choice of design for the device, Map's director, Jon Marshall, professes that, ‘the strength of the design is in its simplicity, combining video, voice and messaging in a single new device’.
Insensi is currently raising funds for 'Ily' through a Kickstarter campaign, with a projected official launch this summer.
The 'Ily' phone is a modern take on the classic landline that hopes to inject a bit of life back into family conversation
Adopting a sleek and contemporary aesthetic conceived by design firm Map, 'Ily' will sit nicely in any modern home
Created with a simple interface, the phone incorporates an eight-inch touch screen that allows users to connect through the tap of a finger
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the ’Ily’ website
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Tuneshine is a new way of bringing back the lost art of the album cover
The compact Tuneshine screen uses LED tech to illuminate the artwork of whatever you’re currently streaming
-
Inside the new theatre at Jacob’s Pillow and its ‘magic box’, part of a pioneering complex designed for dance
Jacob’s Pillow welcomes the reborn Doris Duke Theatre by Mecanoo, a new space that has just opened in the beloved Berkshires cultural hub for the summer season
-
What to see at Rencontres d’Arles 2025, questioning power structures in the state and family
Suppressed memories resurface in sharply considered photography at Rencontres d'Arles 2025. Here are some standout photographers to see