If you are looking for a tracker that will motivate your kids to exercise, there are many precious options. One, really: The Fitbit Ace 3. It arrived this week for $ 80 and comes in a kid-friendly suitcase with kid-friendly colors and kid-friendly watch faces.
My 9 year old son has been using a Fitbit Ace 2 for the past year and he loves it. It is water resistant for swimming and showers, basically indestructible with a silicone container, just the right size for his wrist, giving him the stats he wants, and the battery life lasts for the entire school week. The Fitbit app even has easy-to-use privacy controls.
FitbitThe Fitbit Ace 3 is the perfect fitness device for kids.
Apple wants you to believe that it also sells a children’s watch. The new Apple for Kids support page sends you to the watchOS 7 Family Setup page, so you can “set up an Apple Watch for a family member who does not have their own iPhone.” “It sounds like an excellent solution, but there is a catch. Family Setup requires an Apple Watch Series 4 or later with cellular, of which the Apple Watch SE is the cheapest, which is $ 329 in the Apple Store.
Not only is Apple’s only portable offering for kids completely overpriced, but it’s not even suitable for a teenager. Even the ‘small’ 40mm version looks quite large on my son’s wrist. More importantly, it’s simply too much smartwatch for its needs. Apple may be selling the SE as an option for kids, but there is nothing to keep in mind with kids.
You need look no further than the design to see that the Apple Watch is not made for children, but it is deeper than that. Many companies make square smartwatches for kids, so it is not the shape or even the size that is the biggest issue. It is the lack of features that make it a child’s need.
There are some fun watch faces in Toy Story and Mickey, but most watches are aimed at adults and no one is as thoughtful as the animated interactive with the Ace. There are no child-specific badges to earn. And the battery life is not good enough to last a full day and night.
Michael Simon / IDGThe Apple Watch SE is not much of an app for kids.
The Apple Watch’s biggest advantage over the Fitbit Ace is access to the App Store, but even there, the Apple Watch has very little for kids. Of course, if you hunt long enough, you may find an app or game that your child will like, but there is no dedicated section for kids like in the iOS store, and it’s rare to find a popular kid app with an Apple Watch component or companion. app. Even Apple Arcade does not encourage Apple Watch development.
Bait in the hole
The Fitbit Ace is specifically designed for kids. I know several of my son’s classmates and friends who have one, and it’s the perfect device for school, play, sleep, and everything in between. It teaches my son to be healthy and active without bothering him, helps him achieve his goals without stress, and is a fun lightweight partner for his day.
But he also has an iPad, so when the Apple Watch SE arrives, I ask him if he wants to switch. He was intrigued and tested my watch for a day and decided to stick with the Ace. There were things he liked about the Apple Watch – the color screen, high-resolution graphics, even the Digital Crown – but the simplicity and focus of the Ace won.
I do not expect Apple to ever set up a band like the Ace. I do not even expect to ever see an Apple Watch that the Fitbit Ace is affordable at. Apple’s smartwatch strategy works very well and it does not need to invest to make another model.
Doug Duvall / IDGThe Apple Watch SE can be easily recharged as a children’s watch.
But Apple can follow Fitbit’s lead and make a child version of the SE. Just as Fitbit reused the Inspire with child features and a child bag, Apple can take the 38mm Series 3 and make a killer child watch that costs around $ 149 and offers a real competitor to the Ace.
Apple does not really need to add anything. The existing range of 3-bowl and screen is good, it just needs a new purpose. Remove things like mail and phone, let parents run apps without having a mobile connection, and make some fun faces to play exercise. Call it the Apple Watch Kids Edition, pair it with a colorful strap and you have a watch that kids will actually want.
Apple is already making smaller versions of its other products – the iPod touch and 9.7-inch iPad are ideal for parents on a limited budget, and Apple Arcade is a great option for kids of all ages – but the Apple Watch is still not quite there. But with some adjustments to the Series 3, it could offer a competitive option for kids who want a bait.
I know my child would beg me for one.