Back to school 2022: how to buy your child a smartphone without spending too much
Kids return to classrooms in just days, but many will need a smartphone to stay in touch. Here’s how to pick the right one.
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Thousands of Aussie kids are expected to nab their first smartphones this month, with a return to classrooms and after-school sport just days away.
Research shows one in three kids receive their own phone between the ages of six and 13, in a figure that’s slowly climbing.
But while choosing a handset, a plan, and setting rules for first-time smartphone owners can be confusing, experts say it doesn’t need to be and need not cost as much as some parents fear.
Canstar Blue telco editor Tara Donnelly said while many children were getting phones as they entered high school, or even a few years before it, parents did not need to equip them with the latest and greatest devices.
“In terms of looking for something for a child, you don’t need amazing cameras or the most hi-tech features,” she said. “You can get good features in a cheaper phone.”
Well-known smartphone brands including Samsung, Motorola, Oppo, TCL and Nokia, for example, currently offer handsets for less than $300, while Boost Mobile has started selling refurbished iPhones at a significantly lower cost than new Apple devices.
To connect their children’s phones, Ms Donnelly said parents should consider prepaid options from smaller carriers like Boost Mobile or supermarket brands Woolworths, Coles and Aldi as they offered large discounts.
“You can find lower prices if you don’t want the frills and the extras that the big carriers throw in,” she said. “These providers can offer plans for under $20 a month that tend to be suitable.”
Other discount providers include Amaysim, which is offering a $12 monthly 2GB phone plan, and Dodo that charges $10 per month for 2GB with unlimited calls and text messages.
Sydney publicist Hannah Heather said chose a basic Nokia smartphone to give her daughter Bonnie, 10, during the 2021 lockdown as a way to keep in touch with her friends.
“At 10, you’re at that point when friends are becoming really important,” she said. “A lot of the kids she knew were connecting on Zoom or FaceTime and she didn’t have that … so that was the push we needed as parents.”
Ms Heather said she and her husband set restrictions about their daughter’s smartphone ownership early, including a ban on social media and a rule that she must hand the phone to parents whenever they asked for it.
“Having open, honest conversations from the get-go about phone etiquette and how to use it is important,” she said.
6 TIPS FOR GIVING YOUR CHILD THEIR FIRST PHONE
— Apple offers parental controls in iPhones that will let parents set time limits, choose which apps kids can use, limit adult content or specific websites, and set a Downtime that operates like a bedtime for the device
— Google will let parents set screen time limits, restrict apps, and see what apps they’re using with the Google Family Link app. Parents can also set restrictions on apps, film and book downloads, and adult content in the settings of its Play app store.
— Consider devising and signing a family contract about the safe and responsible use of phones. It could cover when and where phones can be used, who kids can contact, how long they can use their phone each day, and what they should do if something goes wrong. The contract could also cover the way parents use their phones (and when they need to put them away)
— Limit kids’ phone use to public areas of the home only where adults can supervise their use, and leave them to charge overnight in a common room rather than a bedroom
— Many social media platforms will not let children sign up before the age of 13, including Instagram and Snapchat, and parents should discuss with children when and under what conditions they can use those services
— Talk to children about the use of their phones, what apps they use and who they talk to. Having an open conversation can make them feel more comfortable about coming to a parent when a problem arises
BEST PHONE FOR 8 TO 11-YEAR-OLDS
SPACETALK ADVENTURER, $350, spacetalkwatch.com
There are lots of reasons kids might need to call home, from after-school sport to sleepovers, and lots of reasons why they shouldn’t get an expensive, uncensored phone. This kid-friendly smartwatch is a middle ground: it will let them call and message approved contacts, share their location, and track their steps but there’s no social media or open internet allowed.
ALTERNATIVE: Nokia 800 Tough, $176, officeworks.com.au
This smartphone could survive school bags were other handsets perish. The aptly named Tough phone is designed to withstand drops and dunks in water, it has a long-lasting battery life, a 2.4-inch screen and a basic two-megapixel camera. It also comes unlocked so parents can add any prepaid SIM to it.
BEST PHONE FOR 12 TO 14-YEAR-OLDS
SAMSUNG GALAXY A22 5G: $349, samsung.com/au
This newly released, budget-friendly smartphone from Samsung ticks the major boxes for less than $350, making it ideal for early high school. It has a 6.6-inch screen, speedy 5G connection, sizeable battery at 5000mAh, and three rear cameras, including a 48-megapixel main shooter. Telstra customers can buy it as a prepaid device for $329.
ALTERNATIVE: APPLE IPHONE 8, $299, refurbished.boost.com.au
An option for families who want to keep devices within the Apple family, using Find My Friends and other options, this refurbished 4G phone is among the cheapest solutions. Boost Mobile sells refurbished iPhone 8 models based on their condition, ranging from “very good” to “as new”.
BEST PHONE FOR 15 TO 17-YEAR-OLDS
APPLE IPHONE SE (2ND GEN): $679, apple.com.au
The cheapest new Apple iPhone on sale features a water-resistant body, Touch ID fingerprint scanner, and a smaller touchscreen measuring 4.7 inches. The second edition iPhone SE also comes with a 12-megapixel rear camera and it will unlock Apple-only features like iMessage and FaceTime for kids whose parents or friends also use the platform.
ALTERNATIVE: SAMSUNG GALAXY S20 FE: $698, harveynorman.com.au
Dubbed FE for “fan edition,” this Samsung smartphone steals many of its features from the company’s pricier flagship phones but keeps it within a first-part-time-job budget. Its features include three rear cameras, a 32-megapixel selfie camera, and a 6.5-inch touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate that makes games look smooth.
Originally published as Back to school 2022: how to buy your child a smartphone without spending too much
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