Austin-based Pinwheel is bringing back the charm of the family landline with a modern twist. The company, known for its kid-focused smartphones and smartwatches, unveiled the Pinwheel Home at CES 2026—a Wi-Fi-connected, voice-only phone designed specifically for children ages 5-10.
Back to Basics Communication
The Pinwheel Home tackles a growing challenge for parents: how to introduce young children to phone communication without handing over a screen-laden smartphone. The retro-style handset sits in a central home location, allowing kids to make and receive calls without the distractions of texting, games, or social media.
“Parents have been asking for a modern take on the ‘home phone,’ landline experience we all grew up with,” explained Dane Witbeck, CEO and Founder of Pinwheel. The timing makes sense—78% of Americans now live in households with only cell phones, creating a communication gap for families with younger children.
Witbeck emphasized the developmental benefits: “Pinwheel Home goes back to the basics and helps teach kids how to communicate. Instead of being distracted by looking at themselves on Facetime or tuning out to catch incoming texts or social media alerts, they can tune into old-fashioned phone conversations with friends and family.”
Modern Features Meet Classic Design
Despite its nostalgic appearance, the Pinwheel Home packs contemporary functionality. The device connects via Wi-Fi through a hub that plugs into any standard power outlet—no phone jacks or traditional landline service required. Parents maintain complete oversight through Pinwheel’s existing Parent Dashboard, where they can manage approved contacts, review call history, and set usage schedules and time limits.
The phone integrates seamlessly with Pinwheel’s broader ecosystem of devices. As children grow and transition to Pinwheel smartphones or smartwatches, everything can be managed through the same parental dashboard. Future updates will even allow kids to use the same phone number across their Pinwheel Home and mobile devices, letting them take calls at home on the screen-free handset while reducing overall screen time.
Affordable Entry Point
Pinwheel has positioned the Home as an accessible gateway into their ecosystem. The device will retail for $99, with additional units available for $49 when purchased together—perfect for families wanting phones in multiple rooms. Calls between Pinwheel Home phones within a child’s “Pinwheel Circle” are free, while calling other numbers requires a $9.99 monthly service plan.
The phone will come in various styles and colors, complete with stickers for personalization—a thoughtful nod to kids’ desire to make their devices uniquely their own.
Growing Up with Pinwheel
This launch reinforces Pinwheel’s mission of introducing children to technology in age-appropriate stages. The company’s existing products already serve older kids with carefully curated features—their flagship smartphone provides children ages 8-14 with texting, photos, and approved apps while maintaining parental oversight and blocking browsers and social media. Their Pinwheel Watch even incorporates parent-monitored AI chat features for older kids learning to use advanced tools safely.
The Austin-based company has established itself as a leader in the kid tech space, earning recognition from Inc. 5000 as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies in 2024.
Availability
The Pinwheel Home is scheduled to launch in April 2026 and will be available in the United States and Canada. More details about the Pinwheel Home and the company’s full product lineup can be found at pinwheel.com.
