Pinwheel launches a 'kid-safe smartphone' in Canada
Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 9:17PM Teens and even younger kids are diving headfirst into social media, but the risks of cyberbullying, predators, and sexting have parents and educators scrambling for solutions. School boards are suing social media giants, and Ontario recently banned phones in classrooms.
Enter Pinwheel, a U.S. company offering Canada's first "kid-safe smartphone" for ages 8-14. It boasts features like photo sharing, curated apps, texting, and games—all within a controlled environment.
Pinwheel promises "age-appropriate guardrails" by eliminating web browsing and social media access. Parents can remotely monitor texts, manage contact lists, and set usage schedules. Unlike typical parental control apps, Pinwheel allows customization for each child.
Pinwheel currently offers four models for Canadian customers, all available for sale at the company's website. The Pinwheel Slim 5 for CA$289, the Pinwheel Plus 3 (Samsung) for CA$469, the Pinwheel Genesis for CA$149 and the Pinwheel Pixel 8A (Google) for CA$859. In addition, parents pay a monthly subscription fee of CA$19.99 (or CA$219.99 for the year) for the parental controls + Caregiver Portal. All of the models work with each of the main telecom carriers in Canada, so parents can add kids to a family plan or choose whichever provider makes sense.
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