Firefly phone to launch for 4-year-olds

Catch 'em young

24 June 2009 9:44 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

A mobile phone aimed at pre-school children is to launch in the UK. Made by US company Firefly, the "glowPhone" device will be on sale here before the end of the year.

The handset has a five-button keypad and offers programmable "mom" and "dad" keys for quick calling.

As you'd expect the specs are basic - it's a dual-band GSM phone with a 1.5-inch, 128 colour display and 5-hours of talktime.

However, as more than half of under 10-year-olds in the UK apparently own their own phone - and presumably a hand-me-down rather than a Fisher Price-type effort - existing competition will be strong.

The Firefly phones have proved popular in Ireland where 7000 phones have already been sold at a cost of £85 each, either SIM-free or through a partnership with O2.