Screenable turns any iPhone into a starter phone for kids

AND new app called Screened helps parents introduce their children to technology by turning the iPhone or iPad into a phone for beginners. The program is designed to grow with the child over time, as it offers different modes for children of different ages.

First, the app’s Dumb Phone mode effectively turns the iPhone into a clamshell, as it only gives kids access to the Phone, FaceTime, and Messages apps. While Screenable doesn’t allow parents to limit who their child talks to, they can use Apple’s parental controls to limit their interactions to only certain numbers.

By setting up Dumb Phone, parents can also allow their kids access to other apps if they want, especially as they get older.

Screenable’s “Screen Trainer” mode is designed for children who are starting to make the transition to using their iPhone or iPad independently, as it takes a collaborative approach to parental controls. Children may start using other apps, but parents will still be aware of their child’s activities through notifications on their devices that will inform them of the apps their child is using. Parents can also turn on Overtime to let their kids practice sticking to a certain daily screen time limit.

Soon, the app will offer a “Social Trainer” mode, which will allow parents to slowly introduce their children to social networks. This mode allows parents to give their children access to social networking apps one at a time. While kids will be able to download any social media app their parents allow, Screenable provides a dedicated installation process for Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, Facebook, BeReal, Tumblr, and Threads. The installation flow allows parents to set a time limit for apps and also helps them set up in-app parental controls for different social networks.

If parents want to allow their child to use a social media app that isn’t on this list, Screenable will encourage them to research the service before allowing their child to use it.

In addition, Screenable will provide conversation guides for parents to help them discuss online safety with their children when it comes to social media.

Screenable is a family startup founded by brothers Tom and Stevie Clifton and their wives Scarlett Clifton and Hannah Kwon. The group came up with the idea after they started thinking about how they were going to introduce their children to technology.

They looked at what was available on the market and found that there was nothing that worked for them. Tom and Stevie, who previously founded a cloud-based video startup called Animoto, decided to build a solution on their own with their wives.

“We’re tech-savvy,” Tom told TechCrunch. “A lot of the approaches of other apps involve parents having to block everything and not allow their kids to have access to anything. And there are probably certain ages and stages when it’s appropriate, but ours is a much more gradual program that helps them go through each stage as they move toward device independence. We want to educate our children and teach them to use technology in a healthy way.”

That’s why the app is called ‘Screenable,’ Tom explained, because the app is designed to help kids be capable use phones and better master technological knowledge.

Unlike some parental control tools and services that allow parents to monitor their children’s messages, Screenable’s approach does not involve surveillance, Thom said.

Screenable operates on a freemium model that allows users to access the app’s “Dumb Phone” mode for free, as the startup believes that all parents should have access to the tool when introducing their children to technology for the first time. Other program modes are available for a monthly fee of $7.

The group believes Screenable will allow parents to use old smartphones they may have lying around at home when introducing their kids to phones, as opposed to going out and buying a brand new smartphone.

Looking ahead, the startup believes the app could be a tool for families as a whole to disconnect from technology for a while.

“We feel there are many more exciting opportunities to bring unique experiences into homes where families can collectively decide to turn their phones into ‘dumb phones’ for the weekend or for travel,” said Tom.

He noted that parents are asking if they can download Screenable on their own phones to cut down on their own phone usage. While this is currently not possible, as the app requires a child Apple account, the startup plans to launch this feature in the future.

While Tom and Stevie raised over $30 million for their first startup, they’re launching Screenable because they want to keep the project small and grow it gradually on their own terms as a family.