Use the AT&T amiGo Jr. Smartphone to Stay In Contact, Protect, and Track Your Kids: A Hands-On Review

If you’re the parent of a child who’s age 12 or under, you may be on the fence about giving them their own smartphone. After all, a smartphone opens up their world with the ability to make and receive voice and video calls, send and receive text messages, capture and share photos and videos, have their own email account, surf the web, access apps, play multiplayer games (with the ability to communicate with strangers), stream music and video, and so much more. 

On the plus side, giving your child a smartphone could allow you to keep better tabs on their whereabouts, allow you to reach them easier, and provide tools that can help them stay organized, entertained, and provide information at their fingertips. Well, AT&T Wireless has teamed up with Samsung to make it an easier decision to give your child a smartphone. 

The AT&T amiGO Jr. phone looks like a traditional smartphone on the outside, but it comes preloaded with specialized apps, content filters, enhanced parental controls, and tools that make it easier (and potentially less dangerous) for a child to use a smartphone and have access to the internet.

A few of the biggest perks offered by the AT&T amiGo Jr. phone are that using the amiGo mobile app installed on a parent’s phone, they can monitor everything the child does, keep tabs on their child’s whereabouts, determine who the child communicates with, set time limits for when and how long the phone can be used each day, and determine which apps and online services their child have access to.

The folks at AT&T recently provided me with a review unit of the amiGO Jr. smartphone, activated on the AT&T cellular service. This allowed me to test out the phone’s features and determine if it’s a worthwhile investment for parents. Keep reading to learn what I discover when setting up and using this smartphone. 

The AT&T amiGo Jr. Smartphone Is a Great Option for Tweens

It’s important to understand that the AT&T amiGo Jr. is an Android smartphone. However, if a parent uses an Apple iPhone, they can still install the amiGo app onto their device to manage their child’s phone remotely, keep tabs on their location, and more. This Samsung phone is equipped with a 6.7-inch touchscreen display, and 128GB of onboard storage (which can be expanded using an optional microSD memory card). 

The phone also has a decent front- and rear-facing camera setup, so like any smartphone, it can be used to participate in video calls, to snap photos, and shoot video. This certainly isn’t the most powerful smartphone on the market, but for a child under the age of 12, it offers more than enough power and features to handle common tasks – including streaming music and video, running apps (that a parent pre-approved), and communicating with only the people the parent adds to the phone’s Contacts app.

The AT&T amiGo Jr. smartphone comes with a handful of preinstalled apps, but this collection is more selective than what a typical Android phone includes. The focus is on providing a child with the core functionalities they need right out of the box. Then, from the Google Play Store, a parent can grant permission to install and use additional apps, as they deem appropriate. The parent maintains full control over what content a child can access, and prevents them from making unauthorized in-app purchases or subscribing to any unapproved services.

The core Android apps that come preinstalled include kid-friendly versions of amiGo Call (for making and receiving calls), amiGo Text (for sending and receiving text messages), and amiGo Web (for surfing the web with content filters preinstalled). A Contacts, Stopwatch, Alarms, Calculator, Clock, and Visual Voicemail app that are kid-friendly are also included, as is the Check-in app. This allows a child to check in with a parent with just two on-screen taps. The parent will receive the check-in message via the amiGo app on their phone, will know their child is safe, and see where they’re currently located.

What also sets this phone’s preinstalled app collection apart are the Knox Asset Intelligence, Knox E-Fota, and Knox Manage apps. These apps provide advanced parental controls related to all aspects of the phone. But, it’s ultimately the amiGo app on a parents phone that makes it easy to keep tabs on what their child is using their phone for, set limits, and keep tabs on them.

Upon launching the amiGo app on their phone, a map showing their child’s real-time location is displayed. There’s also a Call, Message, Refresh, and Live tracking button on the main screen.

By tapping on the menu icon, a handful of additional functions become accessible, including the ability to add or remove names from the child’s Contacts list (which limits who they can communicate with). The Zones feature allows the parents to set up specific locations, like Home and School, so when the child arrives or leaves one of the preset locations, the parent is automatically notified.

Also from the amiGo app running on the parents phone, they can read all of the child’s incoming and outgoing text messages, turn on/off School Mode (to keep the child from using the phone during school hours), and set alarms for their child.

From the Parental Control menu, a parent can also determine which apps a child has access to, set screen time limits, block websites they don’t want a child accessing (beyond what the browser’s built in filters block), and set a schedule for their child (to remind them of afterschool activities, appointments, or other responsibilities (such as homework or chores).  

What’s Included with the AT&T amiGo Jr. Smartphone 

The price of the AT&T amiGo Jr. phone is $210 to purchase it outright. However, AT&T offers promotional deals, zero percent financing, and trade-in offers that bring this price down considerably.

The financing plan through AT&T Wireless is just $2.99 per month for 36 months (plus the price of service). The new phone must be activated with a 5G AT&T Unlimited service plan to unlock most of its functions. This can be acquired with the phone, or added as part of a discounted family service plan, for example. 

Based on my research, unless you have an eligible AT&T family plan or other discount, the monthly cost of the cellular service will be about $60 per month. The optional phone protection plan (which covers damage, loss, or theft) is an additional $16 per month.

While the AT&T amiGo Jr. smartphone is a feature-packed, kid-friendly phone that offers a viable option for parents to provide to their children, the total monthly fees are not cheap. But, for a parent who works full-time and can’t always be home for their kids after school, or with them during extracurricular activities and pay dates, this phone offers an easy way to stay in touch.

Included in the box are the phone itself, a USB Type-C to USB Type-C charging cable, a SIM card, a SIM card removal tool, and a Quick Start guide. The phone does not come with a protective case, an extended warranty against damage or loss, or any accessories (such as Bluetooth headphones or earbuds).

Who Will the AT&T amiGo Jr. Smartphone Appeal To?

The AT&T amiGo Jr. smartphone appeals to parents of children under the age of 12. Preteens, however, will typically want a phone that has fewer restrictions and that relies on traditional Android apps (as opposed to specialized kid-friendly versions of core apps).

That said, if a parent removes some of the restrictions, regular versions of many apps (like Phone, Messages, Photos, Gmail, Maps, etc.), which would allow the phone to act more like a traditional smartphone, are available.

On the outside, the phone itself looks like an ordinary phone, not like something that was built for kids. While it’s water resistant (IP54 rated), it’s no more durable than a regular smartphone.

Like all Android phones, the amiGo Jr. phone can be personalized either by the child or parent. This includes customizing the appearance of the Lock and Home screens. So, as a child’s age goes beyond 12 or so, the phone could be adapted to their needs (but like all smartphones, it will likely become outdated in several years).

Using the AT&T amiGo Jr. Smartphone

For a parent, initially setting up the amiGo Jr. smartphone and the amiGo app on their own phone, and then linking the two devices involves a slightly more complex set of steps compared to simply setting up a new Android phone. This is because a parent needs to set up and adjust the parental controls, filters, and other phone customizations, and then ensure their phone gets linked with the amiGo Jr. phone via the AT&T wireless network.

I found that the Quick Start Guide that comes with the phone covers the initial steps for setting up the amiGo Jr. phone for the first time, but a parent will likely need to access AT&T Customer Service online or via a phone call for help with this process.

Unless a parent is somewhat proficient using Android phones, this process is not as intuitive as it could be. Alternatively, you can go to any AT&T retail store for help setting up the phone, even if you purchase it online from the AT&T website (which is likely where you’ll find the best deals for purchasing or financing the phone and its service plan).

During my testing, I noticed that because the amiGo Jr. phone was so new, AT&T had not yet activated the product specific support webpage that’s listed in the phone’s Quick Start Guide (and that’s supposed to be accessible from the amiGo app installed on the parents phone), but the listed toll-free customer service phone number worked fine.

There’s Also An AT&T amiGo Smartwatch 2

While the amiGo Phone Jr. is a new product for AT&T Wireless, the company has been offering the AT&T amiGo Jr. Watch 2 for a while now ($170 before promotional, financing, or trade-in offers). This is a kid-friendly smartwatch with a large and bright touchscreen display.

It comes with cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity capabilities, and the same types of parental controls and features offered by the phone. This gives parents the option of equipping their child with a smartphone or a smartwatch. On the plus side, the monthly cellular service for the smartwatch is less expensive than the phone if the parent already has an eligible AT&T plan on their own smartphone.

My Final Thoughts: Is the AT&T amiGo Smartphone Worth It?

These days, it’s very easy for a child to accidentally (or on purpose) access inappropriate content using an unfiltered internet-connected mobile device that has no parental controls. It’s also easy for a child to communicate with just about anyone (including strangers) by phone, text message, email, or online (via social media or a multiplayer game). And if they choose to stream music, TV shows, movies, or YouTube videos, a typical phone has few ways for a parent to block unsuitable content.

This is why a smartphone like the AT&T amiGo Jr. makes a lot of sense. A device like this, with the addition to its built-in content filters and easy-to-use parental controls, allows a parent to keep tabs on their child’s whereabouts, activities, and more.

I would have liked to see AT&T Wireless offer deeply discounted service plan options for the amiGo Jr. phone, especially if the parent (or the rest of the family) already use the AT&T services, but this is currently not an option (without having a family plan).

Over the years, I have set up hundreds of Android phones, but the initial setup of this one (in conjunction with the parental controls and linking it with the amiGo app on the adult’s phone) is a more complex and time consuming process. I’d suggested getting help with this from an AT&T representative on the phone or in-person. 

Once the phone is fully set up and given to a child, its day-to-day operation is extremely straightforward for both the child and the parent. And I really like all of the different limitations, content filters, and controls a parent can add to their child’s phone. So yes, this is a great product, and the phone itself is fairly priced. However, when you add up the cost of the phone, monthly service, and the protection plan, you’re looking at a monthly bill over $60.

Over the years, I have come across less expensive options (like the kid-friendly phones from Gabb, Bark, Teracube, or Pinwheel), but these don’t offer the same robust collection of privacy, security, tracking, and kid-friendly features that the AT&T amiGo Jr. phone provides.

More Smartphone Reviews Are Just a Click Away

To learn about some of the other Samsung smartphones, check out my in-depth reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. For InMyExpertOpinion, I’ve also tested and written detailed reviews of the Motorola Razr Ultra (2025), Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max, and Google Pixel 10 Pro XL.