Google launches new smartwatch for kids: Here's why parents will love it

Fitbit Ace LTE launch: Google has launched a new smartwatch for kids that will help parents keep a track of their whereabouts. The newly launched kids’ smartwatch is dubbed as the ‘Fitbit Ace LTE’ is a part of Fitbit’s Ace lineup, which includes fitness trackers such as the Fitbit Ace 3 and the Fitbit Ace 2 to name a few.  One way the newly launched Fitbit Ace LTE is different from its predecessor is in terms of connectivity. It comes with built-in LTE connectivity, which will enable parents to keep a check on their kids’ location even if they don’t have a smartphone.

Fitbit Ace LTE pricing and availability

The Fitbit Ace LTE is priced at $229.95 (Rs 19,183 approximately) and it requires the Fitbit Ace Pass data plan to enable the built-in LTE connectivity for calling, messaging and location sharing. The Fitbit Ace Pass is priced at $9.99 (Rs 834 approximately) a month, or $119.99 (Rs 20,000 approximately) for a year.

The Fitbit Ace LTE will be available for purchase at the Google Store and Amazon starting June 5. The only caveat is that initially, the Fitbit Ace LTE will be sold in the US only and it remains to be seen if Google brings it to other countries including India.

Fitbit Ace LTE specifications and features

On the specifications front, the Fitbit Ace LTE comes in two size variants — one with a 4.8-inch display and the other with a 7.8-inch display. Both variants come with scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protections and they are water resistant up to 50m. It comes with a stainless steel chassis with glass on top and a polyester yarn band. It has LTE, Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity and it comes with a 328mAh battery that offers over 16 hours of battery life. It also features fast charging support. In terms if the sensors, the Fitbit Ace LTE has an accelerometer, and optical heart rate sensor, an alti-meter, an ambient light sensor, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a built-in microscope and a built-in speaker.

In terms of the features, the Fitbit Ace LTE offers a host of features that will help parents stay connected with their kids all the time. The list includes calling and messaging, location tracking, and emergency contact feature.

It features interactive 3D games wherein more game time can be unlocked only when they move more. Google plans to bring new games to this smartwatch every month using Fitbit Arcade updates.

Google has also added a bunch of security features to the watch. Google says that only parents are ever shown a child’s location or activity data in their app and that the location data is deleted after 24 hours while the activity data is deleted after a maximum of 35 days. Additionally, there are no ads or third-party apps in the watch. Apart from that, only parents can add contacts to their kids’ smartwatches which they can use to make voice calls or drop text messages only.

Parents can access features such as see their kids’ real-time location, make a call, send and receive text and voice messages, add contacts they trust, and manage settings like School Time to eliminate distractions during class. These features are accessible through the Fitbit Ace Pass in the Fitbit Ace app that is available on both Android and iOS.

Soon, Google will be adding a Tap to Pay feature, which will give kids access to pocket money.

Lastly, parents don’t need to add a SIM card to the smartwatch. It comes with a built-in LTE that can be activated through Fitbit Ace Pass.