Probably not the BEST way to go about it as when the seed is created on their phone it's already compromised. Seed phrases should NEVER touch your malware infested phones / computers.

If they're investing "pocket change" levels of their money then sure, that's not a problem, but anything greater than that we strongly recommend they purchase a dedicated hardware wallet.

If they want a great HWW for super cheap then the Blockstream Jade is pretty unbeatable at like $60. If they're happy to drop $100-$200 then either the BitBox02 or Foundation Passport are our top picks.

Although you say that getting a HWW is a "big hurdle" we disagree. For one, people LOVE buying gadgets / widgets as it gives them a dopamine hit and makes them think they're "doing something", so this usually encourages them. Beyond that though it will be less technical than creating a software wallet, deleting it, re-installing it, setting up a watch only wallet etc plus the HWW will come with guides, how to videos, pamphlets and setup instructions etc. Much easier for less tech savy people :)

Also one final point, don't forget there are many other facets to "starting Bitcoin" than just storing it. How they understand altcoins, buying coins KYC free, ensuring they start out small and practice, continue to learn etc is all very important. We cover it all here: 10 Awesome Bitcoin Tips For Beginners