Sometimes the pace of life makes us so tired that we just feel like time stops and we take a breath! Cat Goetze was also going through a similar phase. Daily notifications, ever-increasing screen time and a strange inner restlessness were forcing them to wonder whether simplicity was being lost from our lives. The smarter our phones are becoming, the more our peace is probably decreasing. This confusion drew him towards those sweet memories of the old times, when the landline bell used to ring in the house, long talks were held while twisting the cord and there was a natural warmth in the conversations.
Cat, who is also known online by the people online as CatGPT, laughingly tells CNBC that one day it occurred to her how great it would be if a landline started ringing in the house again. There was fun in talking with the cord wrapped around her fingers, but as soon as she thought how much of a hassle it would be to get a real landline… the new number, the plan, the installation… her enthusiasm started to wane a little. But she was not going to stop here. He decided that whatever he wanted, he should fulfill it himself.
How did you do all this?
Thinking this, he bought a cute pink colored old clamshell handset from a thrift store. Made some technical changes and made it capable of working with Bluetooth. This small experiment soon became the most interesting thing in his apartment. When friends come over, everyone’s first attention goes to this phone, and everyone asks how it works.
In July 2025, Cat uploaded a short video of this phone on social media. He thought that some people would see it as funny, that would be all. But the video went viral overnight. There was a flood of comments, the views reached thousands and everyone had only one demand, we also want such a phone! Encouraged by people’s response, he named his experiment Physical Phones.
how much money did you earn
He created a simple online store and within a few days he couldn’t believe his eyes. In just three days, $120,000 were sold, which is equivalent to approximately Rs 1 crore. By October 2025, she had sold more than 3,000 phones and total revenue had crossed $280,000. Cat says that all this happened so fast that it felt as if I had caught lightning in a bottle.
Cat believes that people today are suffering from digital fatigue. Our relationship with screens has become even heavier since the pandemic. The concentration of many people decreased, anxiety increased and a kind of loneliness also deepened. Constant notifications and the fast-paced digital world have made us tired. In such times, people are looking for tools that can give them a little break, but also keep them connected when needed.
Why did you do all this?
According to him, a phone that looks and feels like a landline, but works with modern technology, has become a kind of comfort for people. No pressure of screens, no pull of social media—just a simple device that’s enough to make calls. The same old rhythm of conversation, a small cord and that old feeling of being held in the hand provide some kind of mental relief to people.
She says that Cat says that the technology itself is not bad. The real problem arises when its use goes out of balance… Technology can connect us, it can help us, but if we do not use it wisely, it can also confuse us, she says.
Today, physical phones are not just a gadget but have become a kind of cultural symbol to show that we can create a slow space in a fast world. This journey of Cat started from a tiredness and became a new happiness for thousands of people. It reminds us that sometimes even a small glimpse of the past can make a big difference in our everyday lives.
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