Native Union's Pop Phone Brings the Retro Handset Back for USB-C Devices

Native Union, the tech accessories brand founded in 2009 by Igor Duc and John Brunner with design based in Paris, has reissued its Pop Phone — a retro handset that plugs into the USB-C port of smartphones, tablets and computers. The device needs no rechargeable battery and no Bluetooth pairing: it connects and works immediately. Answer and hang-up buttons sit on the handle, while the microphone and speaker serve both voice and video calls, and the coiled cord is retained. Colourways include Alarm Red, Pine, Sandstone, Lemon, Candy, Azur, Slate Green and Black, alongside limited editions Bubble Gum and Mirror and a transparent version made for MoMA Design Store locations in Japan. The handset was Native Union's first product, and the brand now holds B Corp certification and works with recycled materials. Its accessories are sold in Apple Stores and luxury boutiques. The Pop Phone is not positioned as a replacement for earbuds used while walking, messaging and checking maps at once; its appeal is physical — an object with visible weight and colour that asks users to stop, sit and listen.