A purpose-built device offering independence without social media, open internet access or addictive apps
Sayph, a UK-based technology startup, has launched a smartphone designed specifically for children aged 8–16, built to provide safe communication without the risks associated with unrestricted smartphone use.
Created for parents who feel caught between giving their child no phone at all and handing over a fully open smartphone, Sayph offers a structured middle ground. The device includes calls, one-to-one messaging and location tracking, but no social media, no app store and no web browser unless a parent actively enables it.
Parent-approved
Unlike traditional smartphones that rely on layered parental control apps, Sayph is restrictive by design. All contacts must be parent-approved, and the companion web app gives parents clear oversight and control without complex settings or the stress of daily monitoring.
Ben Humphrey, Co-Founder of Sayph, comments, “We created Sayph to solve a very real and current parental dilemma. Parents want their children to have independence; to walk to school, to go to friends’ houses, for example, but they don’t want to expose them to the pressures and risks of social media and open internet access. Sayph gives families connection without accelerating exposure.”
The device costs £189, with a £5 per month subscription for the parental control platform, positioning Sayph as one of the most affordable dedicated child-safe smartphones on the UK market.
Fellow Co-Founder Ami Penolver, adds, “Sayph is not as anti-technology, but instead pro-childhood. We offer independence without exposure and a phone, not a platform to ensure children are enabled with independence but not burdened with conformity.”
Beyond product design, Sayph has embedded social impact into its model. For every 10 devices purchased within a school, one will be donated to a pupil premium child. For every 100 devices sold overall, one will be provided to a looked-after child.
The device is available now at https://sayph.one