If your child has been begging you for an Apple Watch, and you’ve been eyeing something for kids instead, Fitbit’s latest tracker for little ones might be more ideal.
Glance at the world of wearable gadgets that are smartwatches and smart bands, and you’d be excused for thinking everything was an Apple Watch, a Fitbit, or something else. There’s a lot to choose from, and while much of it is similar, it’s hardly all the same.
An Apple Watch is a cool wearable, but it’s distinct from a Samsung Galaxy Watch, and even from the number of options from Fitbit. There are a lot of choices of gadgets you can wear on your wrist, and while they can be worn by anyone, your kids probably aren’t high on your list for spending hundreds of dollars on a wearable.
Rather, it’s probably closer to a hundred dollars simply.
With that in mind, Fitbit has something new for families thinking along these lines, launching a revised take on its Fitbit for kids, the Ace.
The new model is the Fitbit Ace 3, which is a wearable monochromatic band built to track the activities of kids six and older, complete with 20 clock faves, some of which are animated, and cover spaceships and animals. There will also be a tie in with the Despicable Me franchise soon, complete with accessories and extra features, with these helping to keep kids liking having a wearable on their arm.
On the band itself, there’s tracking for activities, with reminders to help kids take at least 250 steps per hour, though this can be customised during school time, because they might be seated at their desks. Essentially, the goal is an hour of activity per day, and this can be nudged along with virtual badges and trophies on the wearable, while also facing off against family members throughout the Fitbit app, provided other family members are using a Fitbit.
Those other family members won’t need a Fitbit Ace 3, mind you, even if that is the device being launched, as Fitbit devices all talk using Fitbit’s app platform, regardless of the app being used. And if those kids have their own phones, the Fitbit Ace 3 can be used for notifications to that device, too, with up to eight days of battery life possible, and a swimproof design.
Locals looking to find the Fitbit Ace 3 can expect to see it next week in stores in Australia for a recommended retail price $99.95, though the in-store price could even be marginally less.
