To be fair, there are more thing you might need a phone for. Besides just calling/texting people, I use mine to keep up with school and take notes, to keep a perfect track of my economy, instead of a separate music device, as a GPS when needed, to pay bus fares, as a calculator when not in school, a calendar, checking when the bus leaves, an alarm, to help with exercise and as a camera. Of course you can do all of this without a phone, but what I wanted to point out that all the fancy features of smartphones are useful for a lot more than wasting time on Facebook or playing Angry Birds. But if he really wanted one, he could have saved up for it himself. Parents are not required to supply children with everything.

I'm sorry, 179, but all of those things are easily done with things other than a smartphone. No teenager NEEDS a phone for those things. It's just convenience.

179, the new phones may have a plethora of apps and gadgets that young adults can benefit from. But for young teens all of that is only more "whistles and bells to brag about". Now 19, my son still uses his iPhone to play games (10%) and texting (90%) of the time. NOBODY 'needs' an smart phone to live their lives.

Why? Because you're an ungrateful spoilt brat too?

A mistake? Do you know how much more an iPhone costs than a Samsung? Some people don't have that money, or don't think a phone is worth that much. When I still got my cellphones from my parents, If I REALLY wanted another phone than what I got, I would kindly ask my parents if we could return it and put the cash towards buying the phone I wanted. But no matter if you wanted it or not, you should be grateful for a gift.