With every week bringing a new kids tablet launch, the space is starting to resemble a who’s who of tech and kids media companies. Amazon, however, is hoping to stand out from the crowd with the Fire HD Kids Edition.
Its new kids tab comes with a US$189 price tag for the seven-inch model, and a slightly less expensive US$149 for the six-inch version.
The main selling points for the tablet are its content and durability. Having spent the past few years creating a library of kids programming, Amazon is now making that library available on its new tablet. The device comes with a one-year subscription to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited—the company’s roster of kid-friendly content including 5,000 books, movies, TV series, educational apps and games.
Kids can also access Amazon’s wider ecosystem of content, which includes Amazon Studios’ original kids series such as Annedroids, Tumble Leaf and Creative Galaxy.
Along with an Unlimited subscription, the tablet comes with Amazon FreeTime. This feature offers parental controls that balance screen time with reading and outdoor play. Parents can choose what kids can see on the tablet, and limit screen time via content. The service also blocks in-app advertising and in-app payments.
In addition to the safety and content offerings, the tablet’s outer casing was also designed with kids in mind. Knowing that youngsters’ devices can be roughly-handled, the company is including a two-year warranty whereby it will replace the tablet should it break, with no questions asked.
The device is currently available for pre-order, and will start shipping in October.