Disney and Cell Phones

Disney and Cell Phones

July 12, 2005

Coming soon to wireless markets everywhere, cell phones for kids. Cell phone marketers are developing new wireless phones that will appeal to the younger crowds of 12 years old. These phones will feature mommy and daddy one touch dialing keys and will come in kid colors including x-ray and bubblegum. They are also adding educational software and animated wallpapers, making the phones as appealing as possible to their new market.

Joining two other companies competing for the same market, Walt Disney Corp teamed up with Sprint Corp last Wednesday to offer wireless services to the 8-12 year old market. The cell phone market is already increasing and is growing with the younger age groups.

Since March, Firefly has started up 100,000 new service contracts for persons of 12 years old. Enfora is hoping to add Leap Frog educational software to their phones, attempting to market to an even younger crowd.

In the past year the cell phone industries biggest growth has come from 14 to 25 year olds purchasing pay as you go services and specialized services such as Virgin Mobile or Boost, which markets to a younger crowd. Currently, 55% of teenagers own a wireless phones and studies show that 25% of them are 12 or under. Cell phone companies are prepared to get their attention.

"It's a segment of the market that's under-penetrated," David Bottoms, vice president of strategic partnerships for Sprint, stated of the "tween" population of 8- to 12-year-olds. That demographic consists of 20 million to 30 million in the America. Disney can tap that base because of its vast library of kids' entertainment, he said, and because "Disney is considered safe and trusted."

Some concerns for parents include minute usage and parental controls for Internet access and such. Companies and researchers are attempting to appease both children and adults with the new phones and services that they will offer.

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