The $38-a-month Null One is being hailed as a triumph of “functional storytelling” — a design breakthrough that doesn’t call, text, or connect in any way whatsoever.
It’s been called “the first post-digital device,” “a revolution in unplugging,” and by at least one VC partner, “the Tesla of nothing.” Across TikTok, young consumers are raving about the Null One, a minimalist smartphone that doesn’t make calls, send messages, or perform any task beyond existing beautifully in your palm.
The startup behind it, Null Technologies, has raised $180 million from Sequoia Capital to, in its words, “redefine the future of intentional absence.” Its flagship product—a cold, reassuringly heavy rectangle—has become the most sought-after status object in a generation that claims to hate status objects.
“We believe technology has reached a point where subtraction is innovation,” said founder Eli Montrose, speaking from the company’s moss-covered SoMa office, where all devices are kept face down “to honor their quiet.” “We didn’t build a phone,” he continued. “We built a mirror for your disconnection. It’s the only device that lets you feel superior while achieving absolutely nothing whatsoever.”
To execute that vision, Null assembled a 37-person UX design team—a remarkable feat given the device has no interface. Chief Design Officer Mia Hall describes their work as “functional storytelling.”
“Our challenge was to create an interface you can’t see,” Hall said. “The curvature of the glass isn’t just a design choice—it’s a narrative about surrender. When you hold the Null One, it’s telling you a story about letting go.”
That story has spread across every social media platform the Null One has no ability to access. The device’s “Scroll Less, Want More” campaign dominates TikTok and Instagram, showing slow-motion footage of serene Gen Z creators clutching their powered-off phones beside hashtags like #MindfulMinimalism and #AntiInfluence. One ad shows a woman floating in a lake with her Null One pressed to her heart as text reads: “The best part is you’ll never see this ad again.”
The paradox is the point. The Null One is marketed as the ultimate offline experience through a nonstop online barrage. Within weeks, the campaign amassed 800 million impressions—proof that the fastest way to go offline is by going viral first.
Consumers adore it:
“I bought the Null One because I was tired of being glued to my phone,” said 21-year-old design student Avery Lin, speaking via Instagram DM. “Now I only use my real phone (A Samsung S25 Ultra) to film content of me using my Null One. It’s been like super grounding.”
“It helps me be way more present in the moment,” said TikTok creator @earthyliv, whose video of her Null One resting on a rock has 2.3 million views.
“Since getting my Null One, my screen time has dropped to zero,” said @stillnessbyliv, who posts daily about that milestone. “It’s wild how much clarity you can find when you’re documenting it constantly.”
Over 400,000 units have now been “activated,” a term Null defines as “removed from the box and acknowledged emotionally.” Verizon offers the phone for $0 down and $38 per month for 36 months, with optional insurance against scratches, theft, or breaking the otherwise vestigial slab of Gorilla glass.
Which Device Is Right for You?
In a leaked internal deck, Null Technologies proudly compared its creation to Apple’s newest flagship model:
| Feature | iPhone 17 Max | Null One |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | A20 Pro Bionic, 6‑core GPU with Neural Accelerators | None |
| Display | 6.9” Super Retina XDR ProMotion Display. | Technically, none |
| Camera System | 48MP Fusion: 24 mm, 13 mm, 100mm lenses, ƒ/1.78 aperture, second‑generation sensor‑shift optical image stabilization, | External 35mm film camera (sold separately) |
| Battery Life | Up to 36 hours of video playback | Near Infinite |
| Storage | 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB | 0 MB |
| Operating System | iOS 26 | Stillness™ OS |
| Charging and Expansion | USB-C Charging + DisplayPort USB 3 (up to 10Gb/s) MagSafe Magnet array | Looks really good at coffee shops. |
| Cost | $41.62/mo for 36 months (Includes $100 off after eligible trade-in). | $1300 one-time payment or $38/month for 36 months |
Analysts have called it “a masterclass in what a device can be,” while critics argue it’s just capitalism’s next value-extraction tactic. Either way, it’s working beautifuly. The Null One has become the ultimate accessory for people who want to prove they’re too enlightened for receiving text messages.
Null’s next products—a non-functioning Bluetooth earpiece that emits only silence and a cloud service that stores no data—promise to deepen its “connected ecosystem.”
As Montrose put it, caressing the sleek, functionless rectangle that made him a millionaire, “People are exhausted by being connected. We’re just giving them a way to disconnect and find their humanity.”
For now, the emptiness economy has never been more full, and the Null One remains the only phone on the market sophisticated enough to make you look profound while doing functionally absolutely nothing at all.
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