Cell phone companies are starting to target their efforts and market towards young children. There are many things that would be nice on a phone you are giving to your child, like more security and passwords, but what are the things currently offered?

List of functions for teens and kids

Thanks to USA Today, we have a list of things to consider when picking an iPhone or Android and deciding what to get for your kids:

1. Cost – obviously, many of you are concerned with how much it will cost to buy a smartphone for your child. Getting an iPhone for free is nearly impossible, even when picking the “cheaper” version of the new iPhone. It is possible to get an Android smartphone for free with a contract though, and that is often the best plan if you are trying to save on costs. When it comes to paying for the plan, your costs will be the same no matter what smartphone you choose, more than likely.

2. Parental controls – This is a huge one for most parents. They want to control what their children are able to buy, what their children can watch, access to internet sites, and all phone use in general. According to USA Today, iPhone is the way to go for parental controls. The new iPhone, especially, has quite a bit of parental control abilities whereas the Android isn’t quite as controlling. If you want to watch and track your children very closely, you may want to pick an iPhone, but if believe in privacy and letting your child do what they want with their phones, then an Android may be best.

3. Malware/tracking – There aren’t any kind of protections for the iPhone because of all of Apple’s limitations, according to USA Today, but there are many protections available for Android phones. If you are looking to track your child or find a missing phone, just make sure you have a phone with GPS functions. All iPhones have this function, but some Androids may not come with it.

All in all, the best smartphone for your child is the one that fits your situation best. You will need to assess what your child’s specific needs are and how your family likes to do things before picking a phone. Whatever is most important to you will be the most important factor to consider.

More kids with cell phones

There are more teens with cell phones, which means you can more easily advertise to children. If you can text them and communicate with them in a language they better understand, you will get a lot more business!

Source: USA Today