🎧 Listen to the full episode here:
👉 Spotify — Talk4 EP168 with Chris Kaspar
Introduction
Your phone is designed to own your attention — but what if there was a way to take it back?
In Episode 168 of the Talk4 Podcast, I sat down with Chris Kaspar, the founder of Techless, the company behind the revolutionary Wisephone and Sage Mobile — two devices that are redefining what healthy technology looks like.
From the foster-care experience that changed his life to partnerships with Apple and Samsung, Chris is on a mission to build tech that serves humanity, not the other way around.
His minimalist phones have already helped users reclaim over 2 billion life hours from the endless scroll.
This conversation is one of the most thought-provoking dives we’ve ever had into the attention economy, the psychology of addiction, and the philosophy of ethical design.
How It All Started: A Wake-Up Call Through Foster Care
Chris’s journey began when he and his wife became foster parents to two young girls — aged 10 and 13.
When social workers warned them not to let the girls near smartphones due to past exposure to dark online behaviour, it forced Chris to confront a deeper issue:
How can parents protect kids from toxic technology in a hyperconnected world?
That moment sparked a journey that led Chris to ask some of the most important questions of our time:
“What if the problem isn’t the user… but the system itself?”
The answer became Techless — a company built to redefine the very foundation of how technology interacts with the human mind.
The Birth of Wisephone: Building Healthy Tech From the Ground Up
Wisephone isn’t another screen-time app or parental control tool. It’s a minimalist smartphone — with just eight essential apps — designed from scratch with no distractions, ads, or addictive features.
Chris partnered with top UX designers and even the creator of the first Apple iPad to create a sleek, sophisticated phone that looks premium but functions with intention.
“Two colours. Two fonts. Eight apps. It’s elegant, adult, and simple — the exact opposite of how phones are designed today.”
Ironically, though Wisephone was originally designed for kids, 80% of early buyers were adults — proof that people everywhere are desperate to reclaim their focus and peace.
Sage Mobile: The iPhone, Reimagined for Kids and Teens
After years of iteration and growing partnerships, Techless earned Apple’s trust — and Sage Mobile was born.
It’s a fully functional iPhone, but with seven invisible layers of protection underneath, designed to create a healthy digital environment for kids and teens.
“We care deeply about the dignity of kids. That’s why Sage Mobile looks cool, feels modern, and still protects them from what they’re not ready for.”
Parents finally have a real solution that balances safety, connection, and independence — without turning their child into “the weird one” without a smartphone.
The Psychology of Doom-Scrolling and the Attention Economy
Chris and I dove deep into why our brains get trapped by social media.
Tech companies hire behavioural psychologists to exploit variable rewards — the same mechanism used in slot machines.
Every swipe, click, or scroll gives you a random dopamine hit — enough to keep you hooked indefinitely.
Platforms also use algorithms that amplify controversy and sexualised content, simply because it keeps you on their app longer.
“They can literally turn the dial up or down on how toxic it is — and they always turn it up.”
It’s not about connection anymore. It’s about keeping your eyes glued to the screen.
The Fitness Analogy: Training Your Digital Discipline
As someone who’s lived and breathed the world of health and performance, I couldn’t help but draw parallels between physical fitness and digital wellbeing.
In both cases:
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The process is inconvenient.
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It takes discipline.
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It’s easy to relapse.
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But the rewards compound massively over time.
Chris agreed. He compared Techless to the early pioneers of fitness — the ones who defined what “healthy living” meant before it became mainstream.
“Most people don’t even know this stuff is killing them. We’re like the fitness industry in the 1950s — early, but necessary.”
Life Hours: Measuring Time That Actually Matters
Techless introduced an inspiring new metric: Life Hours — time that users reclaim from meaningless scrolling and reinvest into real life.
So far, the company estimates over 2 billion life hours have been recovered across its user base.
“That’s 2 billion hours people didn’t waste — they lived them. With family. In nature. Creating. Resting. It’s measurable freedom.”
The goal? 100 billion life hours. And when they hit it, Chris says they’re throwing a party “like McDonald’s did with a billion cheeseburgers.”
Breaking the Addiction Loop: From Detox to Default
Deleting apps, using grayscale, or limiting notifications can help — but Chris says real freedom comes from changing the platform itself.
“You can’t beat a system built to beat you. You need guardrails at the device level.”
He encourages people to experiment — try “no-phone Sundays,” keep devices out of bedrooms, or delete social media for a month — but eventually, the platform has to support your habits, not sabotage them.
That’s why Wisephone and Sage Mobile are designed to make focus the default setting.
A New Tech Ethic for Creators and Entrepreneurs
We also talked about the ethical tension creators and entrepreneurs face.
Clickbait works. Negative headlines go viral. But at what cost?
Chris’s take was simple but powerful:
“You can chase engagement or build integrity. Engagement pays today. Integrity compounds forever.”
For anyone creating online — this is the balance to strike. Build content that adds depth, not noise.
Parenting in the Digital Age
One of the most emotional moments of the episode came when Chris talked about surveys with hundreds of students.
When asked, “Would you live in a world without social media if all your friends did too?” — nearly every hand went up.
Kids want boundaries. They just need adults with the courage to enforce them.
“Your kids might get angry now, but one day they’ll thank you. They want to be free, even if they can’t say it yet.”
From Apple Partnership to Global Impact
Techless’s latest milestone — a collaboration with Apple — marks a turning point in the healthy-tech movement.
Apple gains new markets, while Techless provides the values, vision, and philosophy that mainstream tech often can’t.
“We’re doing what Apple can’t say publicly. They capture the revenue; we carry the mission.”
It’s proof that the world’s biggest tech giants are finally paying attention — and starting to shift toward healthier digital futures.
Final Thoughts
This conversation was a wake-up call for all of us.
Whether you’re a parent, creator, or entrepreneur, the truth is the same:
Your focus is your most valuable asset.
And right now, the world’s most powerful companies are competing to own it.
Chris Kaspar isn’t just building phones — he’s building a movement to protect humanity’s most precious resource: attention.
🎧
Listen to the Full Episode Now:
👉 Talk4 Podcast — EP168: Chris Kaspar | The Phone That Fights Addiction
About Chris Kaspar
Chris Kaspar is the founder and CEO of Techless, the company behind Wisephone and Sage Mobile — minimalist, distraction-free smartphones designed to promote digital wellbeing. A fifth-generation family-business alumnus turned purpose-driven innovator, Chris is redefining how technology can support, not sabotage, human connection. His work has already reclaimed billions of life hours for users worldwide.
About the Talk4 Podcast
The Talk4 Podcast, hosted by Louis Skupien, features four powerful questions with the world’s most interesting people — from elite military commanders and astronauts to innovators, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. Each episode blends inspiration with actionable lessons you can apply to your own life.
Follow the podcast on
🎧 Spotify — TALK4 Podcast
📺 YouTube — TALK4 Podcast Channel
🌐 Website — www.louisskupien.com
Share & Join the Mission
If this episode hit home, share it with someone who needs to reclaim their focus, their time, or their peace.
Let’s help more people break free from digital noise — one life hour at a time. ⏳
#Talk4Podcast #ChrisKaspar #Wisephone #SageMobile #Techless #HealthyTech #DigitalWellbeing #AttentionEconomy #Minimalism #Entrepreneurship #Parenting #Focus #Mindfulness #LouisSkupien
