For a growing number of Australian parents, the conversation around a child’s first smartphone is less about ‘when’ and more about ‘how’ to manage the digital landscape. With legislative bans on social media for under-16s looming, the need for safe, controlled access has never been more vital. Pinwheel launched in Australia earlier this year, addressing this precise concern with a unique “training wheels” approach to smart technology.

Pinwheel launched in Australia earlier this year with a subset of their full offerings available in the US – the Slim 6 and Plus 5.

Both phones utilise Pinwheel’s robust parental control software layered onto specific Android hardware—the Slim 6 is based on the Moto G Play 2024, and the premium Plus 5 is built on the well-regarded Samsung Galaxy A16. This combination provides the look and feel of a desirable modern smartphone while stripping away the inherent risks.

The core premise of Pinwheel is safety through exclusion: children and teenagers (aged 8-15) can make calls, send texts, share photos, and use age-appropriate apps, but are completely blocked from accessing the open internet or social media sites. For a monthly subscription, parents gain access to the all-important Caregiver Portal.

The Pinwheel devices are designed to grow with your child, an essential feature as they mature and need more functionality. It encourages and facilitates conversations between parents and their children about digital responsibility, offering a path to progressively unlock features and grant access to a curated library of nearly 1,200 vetted apps.

Lee dives into the Pinwheel Plus 5 to explore the depth of its parental controls, and determine if this connected-but-contained approach truly offers the peace of mind Australian families are looking for.

As Australia barrels blindly into a legislated social media ban for kids, it is vitally important for companies to continue exploring options that encourages and facilitate conversations between the parents and their children.

So without further ado, let’s see what Lee’s thoughts are.

 

The Pinwheel Plus 5 is available from their website and has a RRP A$449. The budget Slim 6 is at A$249. There is also a subscription on top:

  • A$25.99 / month
  • A$75.99 / quarter (works out to be $25.33 / month)
  • A$279.99 / annual (works out to be $23.33 / month)

DRN would like to thank Pinwheel for providing the review unit.