This is a collaborative post
It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of Yoto – the kid’s audio player which puts children in control of audio content such as books, music, meditations, educational content and more, including free podcasts, radio and soundscapes. Having owned both a Yoto Mini and 2nd generation Yoto Player for some time now, we were super excited when the brand new 3rd generation Yoto Player was released in Summer 2023. Read on for our full Yoto Player 3rd Generation review and for everything you need to know about the new addition to the Yoto family!
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New to Yoto?
If you’re brand new to Yoto, it’s probably worth reading my original Yoto Player Review first, as this will outline everything you need to know about the Yoto Player, Yoto Cards and the main benefits of using a Yoto with your family. This post focuses on the differences between the Yoto 2nd Generation Player and their newest release – the Yoto Player 3rd generation, which launched on the 15th June 2023.
Introducing the Yoto 3rd Generation Player
What is the Yoto Player
The Yoto Box Player is an easy-to-use, robust and durable cube-shaped audio player, which unlike other connected audio players such as Alexa and Google Home is made specifically for kids. With no ads, camera or microphone, you don’t have to worry about privacy or your children accessing age-inappropriate content.
With a large pixel screen and clock, the Yoto Player story box can be used to play a range of content including stories, radio, podcasts and sleep sounds. With simple and intuitive controls, it’s easy enough for your child to operate themselves, promoting independence and independent play.
Content is played in the form of Yoto Cards, which are inserted into to the top of the Yoto box. With over 700 Yoto cards to choose from (sold at both Yoto’s online store and Amazon) as well as the ability to Make Your Own (MYO), the Yoto Player offers fun, screen-free entertainment for kids whether that’s during travel or as part of your bedtime routine.
What age is the Yoto Player for?
The Yoto Player is great for children (and adults) of all ages, although officially its aimed at children between 3 and 12 years. All of the Yoto Cards come with age recommendations, so you can choose content that best suits your child’s age and interests.
When was the Yoto Player 3rd Generation released?
The 3rd Generation Yoto Player was announced by Yoto on the 7th June 2023, with the official release date having taken place on Thursday 15th June 2023.
How much does the new Yoto 3rd Generation Player cost?
The Yoto Player 3rd Generation retails at an RRP of £99.99 – just £10 more than the 2nd generation Yoto Player.
What are the main differences between the Yoto 2nd Generation and Yoto 3rd Generation player?
Visually, the 3rd generation Yoto Player is very similar to the original, with the majority of changes relating to product improvements or enhanced features including enhanced battery life, greater storage capacity and the ability to be used with wireless headphones.
The main differences between the 2nd generation Yoto Player and 3rd generation Yoto player are outlined below – the following Yoto Player 3rd generation review will cover more detail about all of these points.
You can see our talk through of the main differences and see the 3rd generation and 2nd generation Yoto players side by side in my unboxing and Yoto Player 3rd Generation review video below.
What does the 3rd generation Yoto Player look like?
To look at, the third generation Yoto Player is quite similar to the 2nd generation, measuring the same size as the original, with identical dimensions and the same overall shape. There are some minor aesthetic differences, however. Firstly the power button has moved into the centre (height-wise) of the right-hand side (where it was previously located at the bottom). In my opinion, this makes it easier for young hands to find and press when required.
The 3rd generation Yoto Player has the addition of a USB-C charging port and the recessed section at the base for the magnetic dock has been removed – as this is no longer required. More on charging later.
What’s in the box
- Yoto Player 3rd generation
- Yoto Make Your Own / Welcome Card
- Instructions
- Yoto plug
What’s the screen like?
One of the most noticeable (and important) physical differences between the Yoto 3rd and 2nd genreation is the pixellated screen. On the 2nd generation Yoto Player, the screen lies completely flush, whereas the 3rd generation has a slightly bevelled edge, a little like you would see with a phone in a case. This makes it more hardwearing and durable when being turned over between nightlight and screen modes – a real positive if your child is a little on the heavy-handed side.
The nightlight looks slightly different too, being slightly more central on the top of the player. Yoto have updated the nightlight to create more ambient lighting when the lights go out. The choice of 7 nightlight colours still applies.
Does the 3rd generation Yoto Player still use the same cards?
Yes, all of the Yoto cards including original stories, music, meditations and make your own cards are still completely compatible with the new device, and if you upgrade to the 3rd generation Yoto Player, you can link it to your existing card library in the Yoto app.
How much storage does the Yoto 3rd generation player have?
One of the big improvements in functionality from the 3rd generation Yoto is that it has DOUBLE the storage capacirty of the original – with 32GB rather than 16. This means if you are planning to use the Yoto outside of the home – such as during travel, on holiday or when visiting friends with no wifi connection, you can hold significantly more content directly on the device to access offline. 32gb is enough storage for around 600 hours of content – which is a pretty impressive upgrade.
With a whole host of exciting content and new Yoto cards expected in 2023, this extra storage capacity is a welcome addition.
How do you charge the Yoto 3rd generation player?
Unlike the original charging dock on the Yoto 2nd generation, the 3rd generation Yoto Player comes with a USB/C charger cable included, making it far easier to charge where ever you may be. It doesn’t come with the plug itself, which could be an issue for some, but in 2023, I’d say most of us have a steady supply of these in our homes built up from other devices over the years. The USB/C charger is a good addition – it means you can charge with a plug in a traditional socket, or via your in car charger or laptop.
My first concern around the new charging method was around overnight use. My girls love the nightlight and ok to wake clock, sleep sounds and alarms on the Yoto, and as such, we tend to keep our 2nd generation Yoto sat on the charging dock all the time. Off charge, the screen will turn itself off to preserve battery after a few minutes unless you change these in the Yoto app settings. If you do want to use it in your child’s bedroom without being on charge, you will need to turn off the battery saver and auto power off modes to ensure the screen stays on all night long.
Alternatively, Yoto will also be selling a Yoto wireless dock (available to buy separately with an RRP of £29.99), which will allow you to charge in the more traditional way. The new dock also allows the player to be swivelled from side to side whilst sitting on the dock. It’s worth noting that the magnetic charging dock from the original Yoto player will not be compatible with the 3rd generation model.
How much battery life does it have?
The battery life is significantly improved from the 2nd generation player – three times as much in fact. The new Yoto Player offers up to 24 hours battery life, meaning you’ll need to charge it far less often than the original. This also means that if you are turning off the auto power off and battery saver modes, you will still get a whole nights of charge and can simply recharge it during the day.
What headphones can I use with the Yoto 3rd generation player?
The 2nd generation Yoto Player was only compatible with wired headphones using a 3.5mm jack with bluetooth an option only when using the beta software.
The 3rd generation Yoto player now has Bluetooth technology, so whilst you can still use wired headphones (including the original Yoto headphones) you can also use wireless designs such as Pogs, Belkin or even the newly released Yoto Wireless headphones. We love the fact that the Yoto player can now be enjoyed wirelessly, as this allows your children to dance, play and move around much more whilst listening to their favourite yoto cards.
If you already have some headphones – you the wireless set cos with a daisy chain cable so you can link to another wired set for siblings to share audio too.
The Yoto Wireless Headphones retail at £34.99. They come in the brands classic orange colour, are foldable for easy storage and can be used with noise limiting technology to protect your child’s delicate ears. With up to 20 hours wireless battery life – we’re pretty sure these will be a hit with the girls.
How does the thermometer work on the Yoto Player?
In the summer months in particular, having a thermometer in your child’s bedroom can be great for peace of mind. Now, the Yoto 3rd gen has a built in thermometer, meaning you can check the app to see the temperature of your child’s room at any time in both degrees celcius and farenheit.
The new Yoto app update (which is coming soon) will enable the Yoto app to send alerts if the temperature in your child’s room becomes too hot or too cold. It’s worth noting that the temperature isn’t displayed on the player itself, but I still think this is a really helpful and useful feature for parents.
Is there a difference in sound quality?
There is a noticeable improvement in sound quality on the 3rd generation Yoto Player when compared to the 2nd. On our original 2nd gen player, we would occasionally notice a slightly ‘tinny’ sound when the volume was set on high. The new Yoto player has been built with acoustically engineered studio sound, and whilst I wasn’t expecting to notice much difference, it was apparent almost immediately, especially when the volume was set on high. I think this will make a big difference with Yoto music cards, radio and sleep sounds in particular.
What about accessories?
Yoto have also released some new accessories for the 3rd generation Yoto Player, with more expected in 2023. This includes new 3rd generation player adventure jackets.
It’s worth noting that due to slightly different button layouts on the new Yoto Player, the original adventure jackets will not fit on the new design. To be more specific – they do in theory fit, but the on button would be hidden by the casing and the USB charging point would be slightly restricted by the case. You could in theory stretch it a bit, but it’s far better to get a new case that perfectly fits the new button layout.
The 3rd generation adventure jackets now come in the more muted pastel shades available on the Yoto Mini, including the gorgeous frog soup shade pictured below. Owners of the 2nd gen may be disappointed that these colours wont be appearing for the original adventure jackets.
Is the Yoto Mini changing too?
The June 2023 Yoto press event was very much focused on the New Yoto Player and new content/accessories for 2023. The Yoto Mini was not mentioned so whilst Yoto may release a 2nd generation Yoto Mini in future, they have confirmed that this is not imminent and there are no current plans in place.
I’ve only just bought the Yoto 2nd generation – will it still be supported?
If you’ve only just bought the Yoto Player, you may be a bit gutted to learn that there is a new one coming out. Please don’t be disheartened – the original Yoto Player is a fantastic product and you won’t be disappointed. I see this a little bit like the Apple upgrades – constantly evolving and moving with the times. Just because you don’t have the latest model, you will still have a great Yoto experience, and the software and app are still being supported even thought the 2nd wont be sold on the Yoto site.
Yoto have confirmed that they’ll continuing your 2nd generation Yoto with new OS updates for the foreseeable future.
I have the original Yoto Player – is it worth upgrading?
The decision to upgrade to the Yoto 3rd generation has to be personal choice and based on how much you use the Yoto. For us, we use the Yoto every single day and have amassed quite a significant Yoto card library. I would have considered upgrading for the additional storage and battery life alone, with the thermometer and wireless headphone use as an extra bonus. That said, if your Yoto is fairly new and you are fairly early on in your Yoto journey, you wont need to upgrade straight away unless you particularly want the extra features.
Is the Yoto 3rd generation player worth the money?
At just £10 more than the original, I think the Yoto 3rd generation offers excellent value for money. You’re getting double the storage, triple the battery life (up to 600 hours of content) and it can now be enjoyed with wireless headphones. It stays true to the original ethos of the Yoto player – a child friendly audio device with no ads, no microphone and no camera, that allows children the freedom to explore as they learn, play, relax, sleep and explore a wide range of audio content.
Just like the original player, the 3rd generation player has access to tons of free content too including podcasts, sleep sounds, radio and more. With loads more exciting Yoto cards and content expected in 2023, I am excited for this next phase in our Yoto journey!
Can I get a Yoto 3rd Generation Player discount?
Having just launched, there are no active discounts on the 3rd generation player, however, if you sign up to the Yoto Club PRIOR to ordering your player, you get 10% off everything in the Yoto store, including the player and cards. If you’re planning on buying a few cards with the player, I would recommend signing up to the Yoto Club (£9.99 but gets you two credits for cards), checking out and then logging back in once you’re a club member to buy your player. The Yoto Club costs £9.99 a month but you can cancel at any time, so even signing up for one month will save you £10 off the player and get you two cards effectively *free*. You can learn more about Yoto Club here.
