CHICAGO-Firefly Mobile Inc. said its kid-oriented mobile phones are now available at Toys ‘R’ Us and Justice stores.
Justice is a retailer focused on 8- to 12-year-old girls.
Toys ‘R’ Us and Justice plan to sell the phones for $100, which includes 30 minutes of airtime. The retailers also plan to offer Firefly phone accessories, including shells, skins, mesh pouches and hands-free headsets.
Firefly phones are built around parental control, including a limited keypad that only allows users to dial pre-programmed numbers. The youth segment is widely predicted to be a lucrative market for wireless offerings, but a variety of children’s advocate agencies have spoken out against the marketing of wireless phones to children.
Cingular Wireless L.L.C. currently sells Firefly phones, while Verizon Wireless has countered with its own kid-designed Migo phone from LG Electronics Co. Ltd.
