If you’re a longtime gadget hunter, then the name Archos might ring a bell. Based in France, Archos was—before Apple changed the world with the iPhone and iPod Touch—one of the few companies that produced feature-rich portable media players.
By 2011, Archos had long since switched to making Android-based products, and in June of that year, SlashGear got a hands-on look at the Archos 35 Smart Home Phone. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like: A cordless phone for use with copper landlines or VoIP lines. Although he didn’t officially review it, Chris Davies didn’t seem like a fan and didn’t see the point of the product, especially since it offered slow, unresponsive performance. Android Central, in a formal review, also took issue with performance, noting the touchscreen as “amazing.”
The Smart Home Phone doesn’t seem to have made a good impression on anyone, and few others have tried the concept again. The Android-based Zenitel SMART1-SM-HS DECT handset started out on ships, but has since been discontinued.
However, there is a clear use case for an Android-based landline phone in 2024: filtering spam and scam calls, as landline and VoIP users currently have limited options for blocking nuisance calls. By far the best options are the Android and iOS apps. A decent wireless Android phone system with access to the Google Play store or a partnership with an anti-spam app would be the solution to a big problem for older Americans.