YouTube is releasing a new app for children next week, called YouTube Kids, which will run on smartphones and tablets and focus on kid-appropriate content. The free app from Google Inc's online video service will be available for download from February 23 and will feature kid-friendly design, with big icons and minimal scrolling.
The app, which will be separate from the mainstream YouTube mobile app, will also feature parental controls such as a timer that can be used to limit a child's screen time. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the launch, saying the company is planning to announce the new app on Monday at a children's entertainment industry conference.
A YouTube spokeswoman confirmed the information. In December, USA Today reported that Google was planning to roll out child-friendly versions of its most popular products in a bid to be "fun and safe for children."
Internet companies such as Google and Facebook Inc do not offer their services to children under 13.
