Screenable, a newly launched app, aims to help parents introduce their children to technology by transforming an iPhone or iPad into a basic starter phone. The app adapts to children of different ages, offering various modes to suit each stage of digital maturity.
Initially, Screenable’s “Dumb Phone” mode simplifies an iPhone into a basic phone, allowing children access only to Phone, FaceTime, and Messages. Although Screenable itself doesn’t limit who children can communicate with, Apple’s parental controls allow parents to restrict contacts to specific people.
Parents can also choose to grant access to other apps as children grow older, tailoring Screenable to their needs over time.
Screenable’s “Screen Trainer” mode supports children’s early stages of independent device use through a cooperative approach to parental control. Kids can begin exploring other apps while parents stay informed about their usage through notifications. An “Overtime” feature also allows children to practice maintaining a daily screen time limit.
Soon, the app will add a “Social Trainer” mode to help parents ease their children into social media. In this mode, parents can introduce social media apps gradually, one at a time. Screenable includes a guided setup process for specific platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Discord, enabling parents to set limits and configure in-app parental controls.
If parents wish to add unsupported social apps, Screenable encourages researching these services first. Additionally, the app provides conversation prompts to help parents discuss online safety with their kids.
Screenable was co-founded by brothers Tom and Stevie Clifton and their wives, Scarlet Clifton and Hannah Kwon, who created the app to introduce technology to their own children. Not finding an existing app that met their needs, Tom and Stevie, co-founders of the video startup Animoto, teamed up with their wives to create Screenable.
According to Tom, Screenable is not focused on strict limitations but rather offers a gradual approach, encouraging healthy device usage. The app’s freemium model provides free access to the “Dumb Phone” mode, with additional modes available for a $7 monthly subscription.
The team envisions Screenable enabling parents to repurpose older smartphones as starter devices for children. They also see the app’s potential as a tool for families looking to limit screen time together, allowing family members to switch devices to “Dumb Phone” mode for weekend disconnects. While Screenable currently requires an Apple child account, future plans include expanding the app’s availability to all Apple devices.
Although they previously raised substantial funding for Animoto, the Cliftons are bootstrapping Screenable to grow it organically as a family initiative.
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