Yes, very much was a conscious choice as a part of the design as we wanted it to feel familiar in form factor and usage. It's already hard enough to use how to use Bitcoin, and you shouldn't have to learn how to use an entirely new form factor and device. We want to ease the entry into Bitcoin self-custody, and we feel that the familiar design helps that process for more people.

As for promo codes, check out the podcasts (hint hint) and people in the space who have promo codes as part of their sponsorship ;)