‘First smartphone for kids’ unveiled at Toy Fair

The company behind a successful kids’ tablet has shown off what it calls the first ever smartphone for children.

KD UK (formerly known as InspirationWorks) will launch the Kurio Phone this year, named after its Kurio line of children’s tablet computers. It’s being shown off at the 2014 London Toy Fair which takes place this week.

It features internet access, Google Play and a Kurio App Store to download apps, music and movies, a multi-core processor; a 480 x 800 four-inch screen, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, GPS, FM radio, 4GB of internal memory and a micro SD card slot.

Ichaper Mobile Chaperone technology allows parents to remotely manage phone features and set usage limits for their child. It is possible to block certain numbers, or to set up an authorised list of contacts on the phone and block all others.

The phone’s call and text history is also made available to parents, which can be checked using a Parental Web App.

Children can reach emergency services from their Kurio Phone in three clicks, while parents will automatically be informed of this by SMS or email, along with the last known position of the phone.

Additionally, should a child find themselves in danger, but unable to make a call, they can repeatedly press the power button of the Kurio Phone to send an SOS notification to their parents, including details of their last known location.

The Kurio Phone features an ICE (In Case of Emergency) form, informing emergency services or others around them of their primary contacts and details, along with information such as blood type and allergies.

Geotracking regularly updates the location of a child’s phone, enabling parents to see where their children are at all times. 

In the event of theft, it is possible to trigger an alarm or take a photo at a distance, erase all of the pictures and data remotely, or block the phone completely.

It has internet filtering for over 450 million sites, as well as the option to block certain sites and categories. 

Tracey Devine, Marketing and Licensing Director, KD UK, said: “We have developed the Kurio Phone to operate and look just like an adult smartphone, but with safety features and usage limits to cover all eventualities.

“We already have first class Parental Controls in place on the Kurio Tablet range, which has been so well received by parents. So it makes sense to apply this ethos to a Smartphone and make this area of technology applicable and accessible to children and families.”