I didn't get my first smartphone until I was probably 14-15
Smart phones weren't even invented when I was 14 or 15.
my first mobile phone was given to me by my parents, it was a Motorola MR30.
and I am now 17 and have an iPhone, I didn't get my first basic phone until I was 11-12. I have probably gone through nearly 8 basic phones and 2-3 cheap android smartphones and I have had my iPhone for for nearly 6-7 months and I have that many cases for it and other accessory's.
You've gone through 11 phones inside of 5 years? and you get a new phone case every month??
well I got my first phone when I went to secondary school . That was when I started making the journey to school and coming back from school on my own so my parents decided I needed a phone then so that I could contact them in an emergency/let them know if I was coming straight home or was going to a friends house etc so they wouldn't worry that I wasn't home when I was supposed to be .
good grief, I started making the (admittedly only 1 mile long) journey to school with only my brother, (1 year older) when I was in year 3 or year 4 at school so was less than 10, (possibly only 7 or 8) this happened without the use of a phone.
with regards going to friends houses after school this was always either agreed in advance, or I would use a payphone to call my parents, or would go home and get permission first, and then go back out.
I'd provide a child with a basic phone, If I felt that they absolutely needed one for their security or ease of life.
however it wouldn't be a smart phone.
If they want to play on facebook etc, then I'd rather that they did that at home, using a proper computer, or a larger tablet device.