A Y2K-inspired corded home phone is designed for children
UK startup YAPA and design studio Aetha created a corded home phone for children aged five to fourteen. It includes a keypad, caller ID display, app-based contact approval, and call time limits, and it connects over Wi-Fi. The phone uses translucent Y2K-inspired shells and swappable covers in bright colors.
A British company, YAPA, collaborated with Aetha, a Poole design firm headed by Tom Parsons, a former Dyson designer, on a corded home phone for youngsters between five and fourteen. It has a push-button keypad, a screen showing incoming numbers, Wi-Fi link, and an app that lets guardians vet contacts and set calling windows.
The device uses translucent shells inspired by Y2K aesthetics and changeable faceplates. The handset is priced at £99.99; additional covers cost £19.99. Calls among YAPA devices incur no charge, but contacting outside numbers needs a Pro plan. Pinwheel Home, a US rival, has comparable pricing.
This device may affect families with children by offering a controlled way to make calls while limiting unknown contacts and late-night interruptions. It could shape how kids build phone habits, perhaps delaying or complementing smartphone use. Parents may gain oversight and a shared household communication point; children may get more voice-centered, room-bound conversations. If adopted, it could nudge other gadget makers toward combining retro design with parental controls.