Here’s some welcome news for those of us who fondly remember an era when calling someone meant picking up a landline phone and talking until your ear went numb. Those retro phones are making a comeback in a new form — one that lets children stay connected to their friends without the distractions and dangers of smartphones.
Pinwheel, the US company known for modified Android smartphones designed for kids and teens, has just launched the Pinwheel Home. The device looks exactly like the kind of landline phone that was so common before smartphones took over, with a few modern twists. It can only be used for voice calls, which the company says encourages more meaningful one-on-one conversations while allowing children to call friends and family independently.
Aimed at kids ages five to ten, the Pinwheel Home operates over Wi-Fi, so there’s no need for a phone jack. Parents can approve contacts, block unknown callers and robocalls, filter spam, and set calling schedules and curfews. It includes retro features like speed dial and a voicemail system.
Pinwheel says future updates will add three-way calling and allow the phone to integrate with its watches and smartphones. This could let kids use the same phone number across devices while still limiting screen time at home.
The Pinwheel Home starts at 8 and comes in two designs and four colors. Calls between devices are free through the company’s Pinwheel Circle service. For parents who want their kids to be able to call standard phone numbers, plans start at .99 per month for up to five approved contacts or .99 per month for unlimited calling. Global pricing will be announced later.
The device arrives at a time when society is looking for ways to protect children from technology’s worst aspects. From countries banning under-16s from social media to devices like the heavily monitored amiGO Jr. Phone, the trend toward safer, simpler tech for kids is growing.
