Online polling company SodaHead has conducted a study into the age at which children should be given mobile devices such as phones and tablets. 

The majority, 54 per cent, say that children should get their first phone between the ages of 13 and 15. 24 per cent feel that children 12 and under should have a phone, and 22 per cent think that the first phone should be saved until children are 16 or older.

Most respondents say that children should wait until they are 16 for “fancier” gadgets such as tablets – 67 per cent of respondents feel that tablets such as the Apple iPad 2 should not be given to children until they are 16, while 66 per cent feel that smartphones can also wait until the age of 16. Only 6 per cent feel that kids under 12 should get a smartphone, while 12 per cent think that it is OK for those under 12 to get a tablet.

“SodaHeads rich data has revealed some interesting and unexpected findings among parents and teens regarding the use of todays hottest technology products,” says Chris Dominquez, CEO of SodaHead. “We understand that the issue of when children should receive phones and tablets is important to parents, and we hope this data provided by SodaHead will help guide them in their decision-making process.”

Married people with children are more than twice as likely (66 per cent) as single people to say that children should wait until they are 16 before the get their first phone. And surprisingly, 64 per cent of teenage respondents felt that fellow teenagers should wait until they are 16 to get their first tablet. But only 8 per cent of teens feel that they should have to wait until 16 for their first mobile phone.

You can see the results of the poll at the SodaHead website.