GreatCall was founded in 2005 by Arlene Harris to provide aging adults with accessible technology and services. In the same year, the company launched the original Jitterbug phone. In 2009 the company launched Live Nurse. In partnership with FONEMED, it provides customers with access to registered nurses 24 hours a day. In 2011, GreatCall added the app MedCoach, which provides daily medication management. That same year, it introduced the 5Star Urgent Response, a mobile Personal Emergency Response System device, along with 5Star Medical Alert System, which uses GPS technology and advanced location analysis to connect users with emergency certified 5Star Agents. In 2012, the company released the Jitterbug Touch, a keyboarded Android phone with a simplified user interface. In 2014, the company added an alerting app, Link. In November 2015, the firm acquired Lively Inc. On June 7, 2017, GreatCall announced that it was being acquired by the private equity firmGTCR. In turn, GreatCall was acquired by electronics retailer Best Buy on August 15, 2018 for $800 million. The purchase is part of a corporate initiative "to enrich lives through technology by addressing key human needs".
In 2007, the company won the wireless industry's Andrew Seybold Choice Award for "Best New Wireless Company" at CTIA, the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Associations design award, and was recognized as a finalist for CES's Last Gadget Standing Competition.
In 2008, it received the Stevie Award for "Best Overall Company", the American Society on Aging's Award for "Best Small Business".
In 2009, TripleTree selected GreatCall as the winner for "Best Consumer Experience" and GreatCall's LiveNurse application received the CTIA Hot for the Holiday's "Hottest Mobile Consumer Application" award. In 2010, LiveNurse also received the CTIA Hot for the Holiday's "Hottest Mobile Consumer Application" award.
In 2014, The company Link app won the Today's Caregiver's "Caregiver Friendly Award".
In 2016, the Lively Wearable was recognized in The Wall Street Journal's "Best Of CES 2016: The Wondrous and Wacky Year Ahead in Gadgets"
In 2016, the Jitterbug Flip was featured in the Wall Street Journal article on simple phones and was the editor's phone of the lot. The same year, it was also recognized in PCMag as Editor's Choice for simple cell phones
