Apple has launched a new Apple Watch advertising campaign targeted at kids. The premise is that the cellular version of the watch is a relatively affordable way for kids to be able to contact their parents without needing an actual cellphone.
Apple also says that it has a Do Not Disturb mode called Schooltime that will restrict the device to being a watch during class time. This is set by the parents and shows a simple yellow circle watch face on the screen so teachers can know when a watch is locked off.
The watch is also trackable if you need to keep a closer eye on your child. The child also doesn’t need a cellphone since the device can be set up from the parent’s iPhone.
One of the cooler perks is that the device can also act as an iPod and play Apple Music or Spotify on the go, which, given the iPod’s success, is something we know kids love.
You can check out the full marketing campaign here.
Smartwatches for kids is a growing trend I hadn’t noticed until Fitbit released the Ace LTE watch. At first glance, I was against the premise because I didn’t really like the idea of kids needing to have a fitness tracker. However, I was told that most parents are instead looking for ways to contact their kids and keep track of them without having to give them a phone. Since then, I’ve heard of a few more parents I know using old Apple Watches with their kids, so I guess I was wrong on that one.
Adding an Apple Watch to most Canadian data plans costs between $10 and $20 per month, depending on your carrier.
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