If you’ve been on the fence about giving your child a smartphone, let alone an additional Apple Watch, Verizon may have a compelling option for you. Following up to its GizmoGadget, the wireless carrier is now offering the GizmoWatch. The new wearable from Verizon is aimed at children between the ages of 3-11 years old, offers LTE connectivity, and packs a faster processor than its predecessor.
While Apple Watch is arguably the king of wearables, every owner would likely agree that the devices are anything but cheap. With last year’s Wi-Fi only model going for several hundred dollars, it is simply not practical for most parents to buy them for younger children.
Sure, you may be able to score an older model and save a fair amount, but an option with cellular connectivity is only available in Apple’s more expensive Series 3 and 4 offerings. Bearing this in mind, it seems that Verizon’s new GizmoWatch may be a great child-friendly alternative to Apple Watch.
At first glance, you might mistake the GizmoWatch for Apple’s wearable, probably an intentional move by Verizon as it makes the device more eye-catching. Since customizing the look of a watch is important to many, Verizon states that it will offer additional bands “in an assortment of colors and materials”.
“The new GizmoWatch has all of the benefits that parents and kids are looking for in a smart watch in a stylish and cool new look kids will love,” said Brian Higgins, vice president of device and consumer product marketing for Verizon. “It has the connectivity of Verizon’s 4G LTE network and offers a ton of tools to keep kids safe and entertained.”
Parents who give their child a GizmoWatch benefit from the ability to see where they are and also be notified if they try to leave a “predetermined safety zone”. This feature is all managed through Verizon’s GizmoHub app that is available on both iOS and Android.
Quite a few features are offered to make wearing GizmoWatch fun for children. Kids are able to get in touch with pre-approved contacts using 20 preset text messages, receive calls from up to 10 parent-approved phone numbers, and they can also keep track of their own movement using the built-in fitness and hopscotch tracker.
GizmoWatch joins Verizon’s line-up of GizmoKids products which offers an array of items that range from its own GizmoTab to LG’s GizmoPal. It is priced at $179.99 and is available today online and in-store. LTE connectivity is priced at just $5 per month, half the amount of typical wearables through Verizon.
When tallying up the cost associated with adding an iPhone and Apple Watch to your plan, Verizon’s monthly charge for GizmoWatch almost feels too good to be true. This might be one of the biggest reasons to consider purchasing a GizmoWatch for your child.
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