Freckle launches a $199 phone built for kids instead of app stores and social media

Freckle has launched a $199 phone for kids ages 7 to 13 that is designed to keep them connected to parents without giving them a typical smartphone experience. Reporting from Engadget, TechRadar and Fast Company says the device skips an app store, open web access and social media in favor of a simplified platform with calling, texting, maps, walkie-talkie features, tap-to-pay and an AI-assisted camera that can identify objects and answer questions. It is available for preorder now and is expected to ship in the US in December. Founder Sam Terris has framed the product as a way to ease parental anxiety without turning children’s devices into what he called “parental spyware.”