Tablets for kids gain sophisitcation amid competition
Tablets designed just for kids are getting more sophisticated as they face increased competition from regular tablets.
[...] some of those companies are looking to take back some of the sales to older kids that they’ve lost over the years, offering premium products — most with prices of over $100 — that look and perform less like toys and more like the ones adults use.
The use of Android and Windows software, in place of the more basic, custom-made systems used in toy tablets, allows for more sophisticated apps and games and a range of content from standard app stores.
Monica Brown, LeapFrog’s vice president for product marketing, said the company wanted to “create something that was kind of sleek and more tech-forward for kids who were looking for something that felt like their parents’ tablet.”
[...] parents want the educational content and safety features that come with a tablet designed purely for kids.
Parents can also limit and track how much time a child spends watching videos, playing games or reading.
Lynn Schofield Clark, a professor of media studies at the University of Denver, said kids tablets are a tough sell these days.
“Kids are always aspirational in their ages, and they’re always interested in what older kids are doing,” Clark said, pointing to the fascination that many preteens have with smartphones as a prime example.
Kurio aims to answer that question with the Smart, a device that lets kids do things they previously might have needed their parents’ laptop for, such as typing up and saving their homework online or playing video on their TV through an HDMI cable.
“While I appreciate that might have led other companies to adjust their products, we’re upping our game based on what customers want in the best kid experience,” said Aaron Bromberg, senior manager of product management for Amazon Devices.
For an additional fee, Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited service offers more than 10,000 books, apps, games and videos geared toward kids ages 3 to 10.