My 9 year old wants his own phone

We've resisted this so far with an iPad for games and YouTube but now he's the only kid in his friend group without a phone and he's genuinely bummed. I get it but he's also still leaving his expensive stuff everywhere. Is 9 too young or am I being old school about this? If you got one for your kid around this age what worked? Any recommendations on phones or parental controls that don't feel like a police state?