The XploraOne Phone Returns Childhood to the Real World

Back in the 1990s, you’d almost never see a kid with their face buried in an electronics device. Sure, there might be the odd Nintendo Game Boy here and there, but for the most part, kids were playing with actual physical toys or reading books. These days, it’s not surprising if you see a kid with a phone or tablet in front of them. That’s the reality we live in, but it doesn’t mean it cannot be improved. This is why the folks at Xplora Technologies have announced the XploraOne, a “startphone” phone for kids.

XploraOne phone is designed for kids, parents control connectivity

Now, giving phones to kids might not sound like the best idea. Exposing them to strangers online, social media, and other unsavory parts of the web sounds like a recipe for disaster. However, that’s what the XploraOne phone for kids is trying to avoid.

For starters, there is no open internet access. This means that any connectivity the phone has is parent-approved. This includes receiving and making calls and messages. Secondly, the company has not included access to an app store. This means that kids won’t accidentally download apps designed for adults or install malware that could compromise their device and their data.

We’ve seen it before where platforms designed for kids can be manipulated into displaying adult content. We’ve also seen how supposedly “safe” platforms like Google Play can accidentally host apps with hidden malware. By removing the app store, it puts a lot of problems to bed.

Parents will also be able to curate contacts for their kids. This means that only whitelisted contacts can get in touch with your child. This prevents strangers from calling your kids or exposing them to scam calls. Parents also get full visibility of device usage and manage security settings.

Last but not least, the phone features what Xplora Technologies calls an “anti-scroll design.” This is supposed to minimize screen time by preventing your kids from doomscrolling on their phones all day.

What else to expect?

As for the actual phone itself, it’s not the most impressive we’ve seen. It has a 2.8-inch TFT display, support for 4G LTE and GPS, a built-in 1,450mAh battery, and a 2MP camera. This hardly sounds like a phone designed with 2026 in mind. However, it does sound like a phone designed for kids in mind.

Granted, its specs kind of suck on paper, but if you’re just looking for a phone so your kid can be contacted at all times, the XploraOne is more than capable of that. The phone is priced at £149 and is currently available for purchase in the UK.

The post The XploraOne Phone Returns Childhood to the Real World appeared first on Android Headlines.