(NewsNation) — When you hear the words tin can, you probably think of food. What about a phone?
‘Tin Can’ is a new device option for parents to introduce kids to a phone that is like a landline phone, run by WIFI with parental controls.
“We started Tin Can because we couldn’t find a phone we actually wanted to give our kids,” per the company’s website.
“Everything out there felt like a compromise — too much tech, too much access, or just another screen to manage. We didn’t want that. We just wanted our kids to be able to call their friends. Safely. Independently. And without unlocking the entire internet.”
The Tin Can is a phone that runs off the home’s WiFi, like a VoIP phone would. However, it has parental controls, meaning only approved contacts can call during approved hours. There is a free plan where the phone’s users can only call other users.
“It’s important for kids to have social autonomy — independence to connect with people they want to connect with,” said Chet Kittleson, cofounder of Tin Can. “If we push back the age for cellphones, which I believe we should, then we must find an alternative. That’s the role I see Tin Can playing.”
Since launching in early 2025, the Seattle-based company has raised $3.5 million so far and sold thousands of the phones, Kittleson added.
The phones are also on backorder until December.