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It seems low-tech phones are all set for a renaissance. Hot off the launch of Tin Can in Australia, there's a new, local player in town called Ciao Bella. Like the Tin Can, it delivers a retro handset design that gives parents a way to let their kids communicate with friends in a much safer way than just giving them a smartphone.
The Ciao Bella is a home phone designed for children aged four and up. There are no apps, no internet, and no algorithmic rabbit holes. It's simply a handset your kid can pick up and use to call someone.
The whole device is managed through a parent-controlled app. Parents approve every contact before they can receive a call, and quiet hours can be set to stop the phone ringing during school, dinner or bedtime.
The phone can also always dial 000, regardless of who's on the approved contacts list.
Calls between Ciao Bella handsets are free, anywhere in the world, which means grandparents interstate and cousins overseas are always within reach.
For families who want to call standard mobiles or landlines, the optional Bella Plus subscription adds that for $14.99 a month, and comes included for the first two months.
The phone comes in three colours (cream, pink and black) that combine into nine mix-and-match combinations, each with their own name like Flamingo, Volcano, Marshmallow and After Dark. A sticker pack lets kids personalise their handset further.
It's a refreshing alternative to the smartwatch-style kids' communicators that have dominated this space, like the imoo Watch Phone Z1.
Ciao Bella founder Sophie Thomson puts it simply:
"I built Ciao Bella because I wanted our kids to experience connection the way we did — picking up the phone to call a friend, not staring at a screen. But we also know the world has changed. Parents need control, and kids need independence. This gives both."
If you've been relying on Apple's parental control tools to manage screen time, Ciao Bella takes a different approach entirely, by removing the screen from the equation altogether.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| For ages | 4+ |
| Contacts | Parent-approved only |
| Quiet hours | Schedulable via parent app |
| Emergency calls | 000 always accessible |
| Speed dials | 3 contacts |
| Voicemail | Yes |
| 3-way calls | Yes |
| Calls between Ciao Bella handsets | Free (worldwide, always) |
| Bella Plus subscription | $14.99/month — calls to any mobile or landline |
| Colours | Cream, pink, black (9 mix-and-match combos) |
Pricing and availability
Ciao Bella Phone is available for pre-order now exclusively at ciaobellaphone.com.au.
The Solo handset is priced at $109 during pre-order (RRP $139). Bundles bring the cost per phone down further: the BFF Bundle covers two phones for $199, and the Talking Trio covers three for $279, with free calls between those handsets included forever.
Pre-orders are secured with a fully refundable $25 deposit, with the balance charged only when the phone ships. First shipments are expected in July 2026.
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