I don’t have a child (yet), so I’ll be speaking from a very idealistic perspective. But I think that even if you don’t have a child, you can recognize the dangers that the internet can present to an impressionable child. I’ve made a note to try and keep tablets and smartphones away from my kid for as long as possible, but at a point, it will be hard to.
If parental controls on regular smartphones just don’t give you enough peace of mind, you’ll be glad to hear about Pinwheel. This company makes Android devices with a custom OS catered to children. And now, Pinwheel will be expanding its devices from the US over to the island that is the UK.
Pinwheel Is Bringing Its Child-Friendly Smartphones To The UK
As a parent, at some point, you might need to give your child a tablet or a smartphone. It could be solely for entertainment purposes, but it could also be to have a way to keep in contact. Either way, it is pretty hard to avoid in this modern age. If your child is going to be equipped with any kind of smart device, it is normal to be worried about the kinds of things they can be exposed to.
This is precisely why Pinwheel, a smartphone company, exists—similar to MMGuardian. Parental controls on a regular Android device might not do everything that you want them to do, so why not just get a device that’s built from the ground up for child use?
Pinwheel makes smartphones that run on its Pinwheel OS, which out of the box, comes with features intended for those between the ages of 8 and 15. You’ll be able to worry less about the dangers of social media or the potential of phone addiction thanks to a lot of features that have thoughtfully been included.
What Makes A Pinwheel Smartphone So Special For Child And Teen Use?
Pinwheel OS is the major reason to get one of these phones since the hardware is based on many popular Android phones out there. The OS allows for calls, texts, taking pictures, and using applications, but it brings a lot of sensible safeguards, which include the following:
- Doesn’t allow for access to any social media apps or browsing the internet without restrictions
- Allows parents or guardians to remotely view text messages and call history
- Gives parents control to whitelist contacts—only those contacts on the safe list can call or text the device
- A curated app library with more than 1,200 apps, each with safety ratings that let parents know if explicit content or communication is included
- Access to apps can be set on a case-by-case basis, preventing certain apps from being used during certain hours
What Devices Does Pinwheel Offer?
Pinwheel hits a perfect balance between sensible parental control and a device that is still fun for children and teenagers to use. The best part is that your child can still get a relatively modern device with the OS installed.
Pinwheel offers the Google Pixel 8a, along with a Samsung device they’ve christened the Plus 4 (its most popular model), a Motorola that they call the Slim 6, and a Ulefone that goes as the Rugged 3. The hardware in all of these is exactly the same as the versions you can buy off Amazon, so there are no compromises in performance or camera quality.
Brand-new, its options start from $99 and go up to $599 for the Pixel 8a model. They also offer pre-owned devices for cheaper. In the UK, the company offers just the Pixel (£549) and the Plus (£279) for now, but to celebrate the launch and the holidays, you get 15% off, making those prices £479 and £239 respectively.
