Pentagram refreshes Karri's screen-free smartphone for kids
Inspired by the simplicity of walkie talkies, design agency Pentagram has updated tech company Karri's smartphone for kids with new features intended to make communication "as intuitive as possible".
Designed for ages five to 13, the Karri messenger aims to give young people a way to chat with loved ones – without all the distractions that come with standard smart phones.
Children are able to use the SIM-operated device to send voice notes to parents or guardians, who can then listen and respond via the Karri app on their own smartphones.
The app can also show the location of a child, plus the Karri's battery level and network status. There's additionally the option to set up safe areas or "geo fences" for the child, and be notified should they move beyond these boundaries.
An enhanced version of the device is set to launch in early 2026.
The concept for the messaging device was originally conceived in 2020 when Karri's founder, Pete Clifford, found himself struggling to find a smartphone appropriate for his then seven-year-old son.
"I knew he wanted to walk to school by himself or go meet his friends a few streets away but I was also nervous about not knowing where exactly he would be and not being able to get in touch," said Clifford.
"After some research and not finding a child-friendly, screen-free solution that was working reliably everywhere I came up with the idea of starting Karri."
After developing and trialling various prototypes, the first generation Karri was released in May 2024.
Earlier this year, the company tasked Pentagram with creating a second iteration of the device that was more fit for the mass market.
The industrial design arm of the agency embarked on a lengthy research process, interviewing multiple families and children to find out which of the device's features they deemed most important.
"One of the key insights from the research was the need to develop a simple interface for kids to record, listen to and send messages as intuitively as possible," the agency explained.
"The result is the 'slide to talk' button, a single tactile interface for four actions: record, listen, send or delete, inspired by the simplicity of the push to talk button on a traditional walkie talkie, or the slide-to-talk on smartphone communication apps."
As well as this new button (and all the pre-existing features), the Karri messenger now includes an LED matrix panel that is able to display basic information like contact names and user instructions, and is capable of hosting multiple chat channels.
The device has also been shrunken down to convenient pocket-sized dimensions, and can be accessorised with a silicone case and lanyard so that it's easy to carry around.
A flashlight has been integrated too, and the buttons for volume control and channel selection have been relocated from the side of the device to the front.
Although the Karri messenger is designed for kids, more and more tech companies are developing similarly simple smartphones for adults looking to digitally detox.
Earlier this year we reviewed four of the best contemporary dumbphones with deliberately pared-back functionality.
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