While it's increasingly common for parents to give their baby an iPhone to look at photos, temporarily pacifying the infant doesn't come without risks, like the iPhone breaking. Fisher-Price, in the toy business since the 1930s, appears to be stepping into the 21st century with its new accessory for the iPhone and the iPod Touch. The case turns the iPhone into a crib toy for children ages 6 months and up.
The Laugh & Learn Apptivity case will be sold for $15 in October, reports The New York Times. The case is durable, with rings that will likely keep teething babies occupied. There's a protector film that will keep off unwanted drool. The back comes off with a key or coin, a precaution designed to keep the phone safely tucked away.
Beyond the fact that the case turns the phone into something that's nearly indestructible, it can control what the kids get their fingers on. For instance, when the phone is in the case, a toddler can't touch the home button. So when a baby is playing with one of Fisher-Price's apps, like Let's Count Animals, he or she can't get out of the app without the help of a parent.
If all the baby wants to do is play with whatever's on the screen, is the extra plastic necessary? There are other baby-proof solutions available. For instance, BubCap requires more pressure to close out of an app, without all the extra fanfare.
And you have to wonder, how young is too young to be handling an iPhone in the first place?