The heartwarming segment about kids ditching smartphones for landlines took an unexpected turn, as whispers of major family news could signal a seismic shift for Guthrie’s future on the program she’s called home for 13 years. Could this be the beginning of the end for the beloved anchor’s reign on morning television?

During the segment, Vale appeared in a pre-recorded video package, charmingly chatting about the growing trend of parents opting for landlines to keep their tweens connected without the dangers of smartphones. “Hold the phone! As a mom of tweens, a simple, safe, secure way to communicate with friends, sign me up,” Guthrie’s voiceover enthused, setting the stage for Vale’s adorable commentary.

“A few of my friends started getting landline numbers. I don’t have a smartphone, so it’d be nice to be able to talk to them all week,” Vale shared, describing how she loves calling her pals to dish about back-to-school outfits. “Whenever my friends are free, I can call their numbers, and it’s really nice ’cause, yeah, I just like it a lot.”

Back in Studio 1A, Guthrie couldn’t hide her mom pride, revealing she’s pushing to get more of Vale’s friends on the landline bandwagon. “When they FaceTime, they’re looking at themselves or the alerts come on,” she explained, highlighting the simplicity of old-school phone calls. “This just strips it down to the basics.”