Following the ongoing trend of making channel surfing easier for tech-savvy kids, AT&T Labs has launched U-verse KIDS!, a new US-based app for use by parents, with their children, that features kid-appropriate remote-control functions and TV channels.

Available as a free download for smartphones and tablets on the Apple App Store and Google Play in the US, U-verse KIDS! lets parents customize parental controls by TV or movie rating and determine which channels are displayed.

Kids can access the programming using the app’s simple and colorful interface and large remote control buttons. Also included is the ability to pause, fast forward or rewind live TV and AT&T’s Natural Voices text-to-speech technology which reads show titles aloud.

The app, based on AT&T’s existing Easy Remote app framework, uses AT&T’s U-verse enabled IPTV platform and only works in U-verse homes over U-verse Wi-Fi.

Since its initial launch in 2006, U-verse has grown into a US$13 billion annualized revenue stream.