YouTube Kids app to roll out next week on Android

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 Feb. 23 and will feature kid-friendly design, with big icons and minimal scrolling, according to details seen by Reuters.

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The Android 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.