I Let my Kids Pick ANY Phone for Christmas

Two children independently chose the same Samsung S25 Edge phone for Christmas, prioritizing comfort, screen quality, and a straightforward 'phone' experience over specific brands or 'gimmicks' like folding screens, much to their dad's surprise.

• Children selected phones based on comfort, screen quality, and a straightforward user experience.

• Both kids chose the Samsung S25 Edge, defying parental predictions for brand or feature preferences.

• Dad's subtle influence impacted his son's near-choice of an iPhone Air, despite the experiment's intent.

This year, Santa (the dad) decided to let his children choose their own Christmas phones, setting a budget of 2,000 Canadian rubles (approx. $1,400 USD) and requiring at least five years of OS and security updates. An 'elf' was hired to guide the kids through options from Google, Apple, and Samsung, without revealing prices or influencing their decisions. Both children, despite their dad's predictions, ultimately selected the Samsung S25 Edge, valuing its comfortable feel, high-resolution screen, and robust design over features like thinness or brand loyalty, though the son almost picked an iPhone Air out of personal preference before recalling his dad's implied disfavor for Apple.

Phone Selection Criteria

• 00:01:19 The selection process for the new phones had two main rules: a maximum budget of 2,000 Canadian rubles (about $1,400 USD) and a requirement for at least five years of operating system and security updates. This criteria eliminated many niche products and higher-end premium phones, leaving a curated list of seven viable options for the children to choose from. The dad emphasized device longevity, calculating costs on a yearly basis to prevent frequent replacements.

Children's Initial Reactions

• 00:03:39 The elf presented Google's Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro first. The children appreciated the smooth 120 Hz screens for gaming and the improved camera quality, but the daughter disliked the 'G' logo on the back, instantly ruling out Google phones. When shown iPhones, they found the apps 'weird' compared to their previous Android experience, and surprisingly, the son claimed he rarely used a camera, questioning the need for a high-end phone beyond messaging and Discord.

Evaluating Apple and Samsung Options

• 00:06:11 The children were then shown the base iPhone 17 and iPhone Air. The daughter found the Air's thinness 'weird' and preferred buttons on one side, while the son quickly dismissed its 'mingling' features with other Apple devices as unnecessary since he already had his friends' numbers. Despite strong camera performance, the children were largely unimpressed, with the son explicitly stating, 'I just do' when asked why he disliked Apple. When presented with Samsung options, including the S25 and S25 Edge, the son preferred the S25 Edge for its bigger, higher-resolution screen, and its perceived durability against water exposure.

Final Phone Choices and Dad's Surprise

• 00:12:05 Ultimately, both children independently chose the Samsung S25 Edge, primarily for its comfortable feel in hand, high-quality screen, and the fact that it was 'just a phone' without complex gimmicks like folding screens. The dad was completely surprised by this outcome, as he had predicted his daughter would choose an iPhone Air or a Flip, and his son would stick with the S25. It was revealed that the son nearly picked the iPhone Air due to its 'sexy' thinness but ultimately decided against it, stating, 'My dad wouldn't want me to,' highlighting the subtle influence of parental preference despite the hands-off experiment.