What a Kosher Smartphone Actually Does
The point of this category is not a smaller smartphone. It is a phone that does the handful of jobs a smartphone is genuinely useful for and nothing else.
In practice that means navigation, messaging, a camera, music, a calendar and, on some models, email and rideshare. The Qin F30 ships with Gmail, Uber, HebDate, smartlist, weather and Waze. The Fusion carries messages, contacts, camera, gallery, calculator, a weather app, Waze, tfilon, HebDate, a music player and a clock. The Fig models add a siddur. What none of them carry is a way to reach the open internet.
What Is Permanently Removed
· No web browser: There is no browser application on the device to unlock, whitelist or argue with.
· No app store: New apps cannot be installed by the user. Any change to the app list goes through us.
· No social media: The apps are not present and cannot be sideloaded on the kosher builds.
· Restricted video: Fig restricts video playback, and the Qin F30 limits playback to two minutes. This is a deliberate rabbinic guideline, not a bug.
· Configuration survives a reset: On Fig models, a factory reset returns the phone to its kosher state. It does not open it up.
Touchscreen Models in This Collection
· Fusion, $159, or $99 with a carrier plan: Large touchscreen, reinforced body, expandable SD slot, 2100 mAh, dual camera, 2 GB and 16 GB. Talk, text and Waze.
· Fig Mini II, $300: Compact, Gorilla Glass touchscreen, 32 GB or 64 GB, on-screen and T9 keyboards, voice to text and swipe to text.
· Qin F30 Kosher, $300: A touchscreen candybar with a physical keypad, a genuinely different shape. 64 GB, Android Auto for Waze. The listing states it is unlocked and works on Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, and we confirm the pairing before we activate.
· Kosher Qin F21, $350: The custom option. Browser free with a base app set, and we can add specific apps you name. Includes hotspot.
· Fig Flip II Pro, $369: A flip with a 3.54 inch touchscreen, 64 GB, octa-core, 20 MP camera, Android Auto with Waze, 2200 mAh.
· Wonderphone, $400: Kosher and TAG approved, removable 2850 mAh battery, Waze, weather and zmanim, Android Auto compatible.
Who Chooses a Kosher Smartphone
The buyer here is almost always an adult with a practical need that a talk and text flip cannot cover, and a standard that a regular smartphone cannot meet.
Drivers and tradesmen who need Waze or Android Auto every day. Business owners who need email and a hotspot but not a browser. Parents who want the camera and the family calendar without the rest. Seminary and yeshiva families choosing the first device after a talk only phone. If your need is navigation only, we also sell standalone kosher GPS and Waze devices that are not phones at all.
How We Configure Your Smartphone
1. Tell us the app list you need, or the standard your community keeps.
2. We match that to a model, because the app sets differ. The Qin F21 is the flexible one, the Fig line is the locked one.
3. We set the configuration and confirm what is on the device before it ships.
4. We attach a plan, port your number and activate the line.
5. We hand it over working, at the counter or by mail, with the app list written down so you know exactly what you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a smartphone kosher?
The browser and the app store are removed from the operating system, not disabled by a setting. Social media and open messaging apps are absent, video is restricted on most models, and the app list is fixed at configuration. On born kosher devices such as Fig, none of that can be undone by the user.
Can I put WhatsApp on a kosher smartphone?
Not on the standard builds we sell. The kosher operating systems on these phones do not permit installing messaging apps, and there is no app store on the device. If a specific app matters to you, ask us before you order, because the Kosher Qin F21 is configured to order and some app requests can be accommodated.
Do kosher smartphones have Waze?
Yes, on most of them. The Fusion, Fig Mini II, Fig Flip II Pro, Qin F30 and Wonderphone all include Waze, and several support Android Auto so it runs on the car screen instead of in your hand.
Can my child change the settings back?
No. On the Fig models the restrictions are part of the operating system and survive a factory reset. On every phone here there is no browser to re-enable and no store to install one from.
Is a kosher smartphone accepted at school?
Usually not for students. Lakewood-area schools generally expect a talk only phone and many ban touchscreen devices outright. Kosher smartphones are an adult category. Check your school handbook before buying for a child.
What does a kosher smartphone cost?
On this page, from $99 for the Fusion when bought with a carrier plan, or $159 on its own, up to $400 for the Wonderphone. The rest fall between $300 and $369.
Do they work on Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile?
The models here are sold unlocked and we offer Selectel Verizon, AT&T H2O and T-Mobile Ultra plans at checkout. Because band support varies by handset, we confirm the pairing before we activate rather than assuming unlocked means universal.
Can I get email on a kosher phone?
On some. The Qin F30 ships with Gmail, and the Kyocera models can be configured for talk, text and email. Tell us at the order and we will point you to the right handset.
Get Started with Kosher Phones
Tell us the two or three things the phone has to do and we will match you to the right model. Call 848-226-1102 or use our contact form.
