The Phone: A French Radical Solution to Protect Children
The French brand The Phone is set to launch a device that looks like a smartphone but only includes call and messaging functionalities. Targeting children aged 8 to 12, this product aims to provide autonomy without giving access to the internet or social networks.
Whether you use Android or iOS, modern operating systems now offer parental controls that can limit the time children spend on their smartphones and control the apps they use or the websites they visit. However, The Phone believes that protecting children from addiction and cyberbullying requires a more radical approach: disconnection.
The device The Phone plans to market will look like a modern smartphone but will only include basic functionalities: it allows for calling and texting only, with no internet access and no social media. Maïlys Cantzler, one of the project’s initiators, explained to FranceInfo that call and message features allow children to be independent while avoiding the pitfalls of the internet and social media.
Maïlys Cantzler, one of the project’s initiators, explained to FranceInfo that call and message features allow children to be independent while avoiding the pitfalls of the internet and social media.
The Phone targets children aged 8 to 12 who have never owned smartphones. It could be a solution for parents wondering whether to buy their children their first phones. Naturally, the brand could have created a basic phone that only includes calls and messages. However, the idea is to offer a device that looks like a smartphone because this format is more intuitive for the target audience compared to devices with physical buttons.
Launching Through Crowdfunding
For now, it is unclear when The Phone will launch. Its website allows interested parties to provide an email address to be notified when the crowdfunding campaign, which will help launch the product, starts. The Phone is expected to be available for sale before the summer of 2024, with the brand planning to market its first product at a price around 100 euros.
The Phone is expected to be available for sale before the summer of 2024, with the brand planning to market its first product at a price around 100 euros.
It is worth noting that The Phone is not the only brand betting on disconnected or minimalist devices to promote well-being and redefine our relationship with technology. For example, in January, we discussed a product in this category developed by The Minimal Company. However, what sets The Phone apart is that it targets children who have never owned a smartphone.
Conclusion:
- A French brand has designed an ultra-minimalist phone, resembling a smartphone, but only allowing calls and text messaging
- The idea is to enable children aged 8 to 12 to be autonomous while protecting them from addiction and cyberbullying risks
- The Phone is expected to launch this year and be sold at a price around 100 euros.
Links
- The touchscreen, Internet-free phone that preserves your child’s innocence – The phone
- Sell your pre-owned smartphone online – iGotOffer
L’École du futur (13/12/2023) – Un téléphone pour lutter contre le cyberharcèlement [Video]
Video uploaded by SQOOL TV on December 13, 2023.
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