BAILEYKING's PEPKOO Brand Launches "Unlocking Learning 2.0" to Bridge EdTech and Kids' Tech Gear

BAILEYKING Inc., the company behind the child-focused tech gear brand PEPKOO, today announced "Unlocking Learning 2.0," a new motion-directed learning platform for kids. The initiative marks PEPKOO's expansion beyond hardware into educational technology, combining the company's robust tablet cases with interactive content. Unlocking Learning 2.0 is led by motion designer Xinxun Liao, whose original "Unlocking Learning" animation won Silver in three major design competitions for its innovative approach to helping dyslexic learners. Now, PEPKOO is developing a full-fledged platform based on that concept – featuring an animated digital companion, interactive learning modules, and a kid-friendly user experience – in what the company sees as a strategic move into the fast-growing edtech market.

PEPKOO is best known for its durable, child-proof tablet cases – products emblazoned with the motto "Protect Your iPad, Empower Your Kids!" With Unlocking Learning 2.0, BAILEYKING aims to extend that empowering mission from protecting devices to enriching the content on those devices. The new platform will be offered as a companion to PEPKOO's physical products (and accessible on standard tablets as well), turning screen time into learning time. "This is a natural evolution for us," says Alex Chen, Head of Product at BAILEYKING. "Parents buy our cases to make tablets safer for children – now we want to make what's on those tablets safer and more beneficial, too. By integrating engaging educational content, we're transforming the tablet into a tool that not only withstands bumps and drops, but also helps kids learn and grow."

Unlocking Learning 2.0 is being designed as a cross-platform motion learning hub that kids can use on a PEPKOO-equipped tablet or any mobile device. Key features of the platform include:

• "KIBO" Digital Companion: A friendly animated character who guides children through setup, tutorials on online safety, reading exercises, and creative play activities. KIBO's on-screen presence makes the experience feel like a fun, interactive tutoring session rather than a traditional lesson.

• Interactive Learning Modules: Short, motion-driven videos and mini-games that teach fundamental skills. These modules cover topics like reading and vocabulary through animated stories, phonics games, and explorations that respond to a child's touches and choices. The content adapts across age ranges, making it suitable for early readers and elementary learners alike.

• New Visual Identity & Storytelling: A vibrant design language aligned with PEPKOO's brand, optimized for digital storytelling on e-commerce platforms. Parents will encounter the KIBO character and the platform's visuals when browsing PEPKOO products online, illustrating how the hardware and content work together. This integrated branding is intended to boost customer engagement on sites like Amazon by clearly communicating the product's added value.

• Accessibility-First UX: An interface and content style crafted for neurodivergent children from the ground up. All videos offer optional audio narration and on-screen text captions. Animations feature sensory-friendly pacing – calming transitions and minimal flashing – to accommodate children with attention or sensory processing differences. Visual cues (like highlighted text bouncing in sync with narration) are built in to aid kids with dyslexia or other reading challenges. This inclusive design ethos carries forward the original project's mission of helping learners who often get left behind in traditional formats.

"We're building this platform to welcome every child," notes Xinxun Liao, now Creative Director for the Unlocking Learning 2.0 program at BAILEYKING. "Our team included accessibility at every step – it's not a side feature, it's the core experience. Whether a child is dyslexic, ADHD, or just prefers more visual learning, they'll find the interface intuitive and enjoyable." Liao's passion for inclusive design stems from her graduate work on the first Unlocking Learning project, which demonstrated how motion graphics could be a "transformative solution" for students with dyslexia. By bringing her on board, BAILEYKING is infusing the development with a strong creative vision and expertise in educational media.

BAILEYKING's venture comes at a time when the boundaries between consumer electronics and educational content are blurring. The global market for education technology is surging – projected to grow from $214.7 billion in 2025 to $445.9 billion by 2029 – as tech companies large and small race to cater to the demand for kid-friendly learning solutions. PEPKOO's leadership sees a unique opportunity at this intersection. By packaging content with its popular protective gear, the company hopes to differentiate itself from generic accessory makers and enter the edtech arena with a built-in user base. "Our customers are already parents of young children. We realized we could add tremendous value for them," says Jordan Bailey, CEO of BAILEYKING Inc. "Rather than just selling a case and saying 'good luck' with whatever apps your kid finds, we're providing an all-in-one solution – reliable hardware and curated content that works hand-in-hand. It's a strategy to deepen our relationship with families and stand out in the market."

This approach mirrors a broader trend of hardware and content integration in the kids' tech sector. (For example, in 2018 Nickelodeon partnered with tablet-maker Fuhu to pre-load educational media onto Fuhu's Nabi Jr. devices, a collaboration intended to take "children consumer electronics, learning and entertainment to the next level".) By developing its own platform, PEPKOO is taking a page from that playbook and localizing it to its brand. Unlike a one-off content bundle, Unlocking Learning 2.0 is envisioned as an evolving service: BAILEYKING plans to update the platform regularly with new lessons, stories, and features. The company is also exploring subscription models or device-and-app bundles for future releases, signaling a long-term commitment to the edtech space.

For Xinxun Liao, the creator of the original Unlocking Learning, the partnership with BAILEYKING represents a chance to scale up her vision with real-world impact. Liao's initial project was celebrated in design circles for its fresh take on an educational animation – earning three Silver awards in international competitions this year – and for highlighting the needs of learners with dyslexia. By leading the 2.0 initiative, she brings both creative expertise and a mission-driven perspective to PEPKOO's product team. "Xinxun understands better than anyone how to marry art and functionality in this context," CEO Jordan Bailey says. "Her work struck a chord because it wasn't just pretty visuals – it was solving a problem. That's exactly the kind of thinking we want to infuse into our future products."

Liao has assembled a multidisciplinary team of animators, UX designers, and child education specialists to develop the platform. The project's development involves user testing with kids and parents to gather feedback on everything from character design to voice narration speed. Early feedback has been encouraging, especially regarding KIBO's appeal. "Kids are immediately drawn to KIBO," Liao observes, "which is great – it means we have a friendly hook to keep them interested in learning tasks that might otherwise feel hard or scary." By leveraging motion design principles, the team aims to keep the learning experience playful and low-pressure, in contrast to more rigid e-learning apps. BAILEYKING plans to make the platform available in a beta program by mid-2026, initially to existing PEPKOO customers, before a wider release.

The introduction of Unlocking Learning 2.0 signals BAILEYKING's intent to be more than just an accessories manufacturer. It places the company into the competitive realm of edtech, alongside startups and established players looking to capture the attention of digitally savvy parents and schools. However, BAILEYKING believes its dual focus on tangible safety and digital education will carve a niche. "It's about trust and value," explains CEO Bailey. "We've earned parents' trust with years of making kid-safe hardware. Now we want to extend that trust to software – to become a trusted partner in their child's learning as well."

As the lines between education and entertainment continue to blur, BAILEYKING's move is a notable example of convergence in the industry. By harnessing an award-winning creative concept and aligning it with its product strategy, the company is positioning PEPKOO to compete not just on durability, but on enriching experiences. In doing so, BAILEYKING Inc. joins the ranks of tech firms seeking to shape the future of learning through innovation. With Unlocking Learning 2.0, a tablet case becomes more than a protective shell – it's the portal to a world where motion, color, and sound unlock new ways of learning for kids everywhere.

Article written by Matthew Kennedy