Parents struggle with the modern day question of whether to give their children telephones for staying in touch and keeping tabs on where they are, while also navigating the realities of too much screen time and protecting them from the harmful effects of social media.

AT&T just introduced its own answer, the AmiGo Jr. phonea Samsung smartphone using the AmiGo app that applies parental controls at the device level. Parents use an AT&T AmiGo app on their iOS or Android phone to manage apps, settings and screentime limits on a child’s phone; the AmiGo software only works with this AmiGo Jr. Phone.

The AmiGo Jr. because a Samsung Galaxy A16 phone with a 6.7-inch display, 128GB storage and a 5,000 mAh battery. It has a trio of cameras on the back: a 50-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The phone is only available in black.

The phone is available now online at AT&Tat AT&T stores and through the MyAT&T app, and is priced at $3 per month for a 36-month contract. Parents should also purchase a unlimited data line their phone plan for the phone starting at $61 a month, plus pay a $35 activation fee.

Offering an older camera for a child to use isn’t new — it’s how parents often set up devices for kids. The Galaxy A16 was released in January 2025. What makes the AmiGo Jr. different. is the AmiGo app that implements device-level parental controls under Android 16, according to an AT&T spokesperson. Beyond the parental control features offered by Android, the AmiGo software added Safe Zones that generate alerts when the phone enters or exits them and a School Mode for controlling features at times when their attention should be directed away from the screen.

“After many, candid conversations with parents, we heard a clear message: This isn’t just a device decision — it’s a deeply personal one about trust, safety and staying connected,” said Erin Scarborough, AT&T senior vice president of revenue management and commercialization, in a statement. “Making a phone for a child was the natural and natural next step for us.”

The company cited the fact that 40% of its current customers are parents as an incentive to develop the AmiGo Jr. Phone. And based on its own research, 60% of parents of children up to the age of 12 consider a smartphone to be very safe.

Building phones for kids isn’t a novel concept; CNET’s Katie Collins takes a look at the HMD Fusion X1 last year Mobile World Congressfor example. And system-based parental controls are also enabled stronger in recent years, even as a recent study suggests that parents should wait until age 13 to give their children a phone.

Also available now is the AT&T AmiGo Jr. Watch 2, a more robust smartwatch that integrates with AT&T’s AmiGo system.