A dumb phone is a phone that is not a smartphone. The term dumb phones includes mobile phones created before the invention of the smartphone as well as modern smartphone alternatives. Although slightly different in meaning, “dumb phone” is often used interchangeably with the name "feature phone."

You install the software, set your limits on screen time and content, and feel hopeful that your child is protected from digital distractions and online risks, but you have the uneasy feeling your restrictions are not holding up.

Why do kids need Phones? The answer, for most parents, is simple: You need reliable basic communication to keep your child safe, not a miniature computer. Either that, or maybe your kid doesn't need a phone yet.

Every feature on the Zalpha Phone is designed to support a child's development without introducing a new vector for harm. When designing our phones, we repeatedly asked ourselves the question is access to music better for a child’s development than no music access at all?