Don’t they require smart phones to work though? All the ones I have had are all just BT devices which require a phone to do anything beyond tell the time
Comment on EE warns parents against giving children under 11 a smartphone
Mountain_Mike_420@lemmy.ml 2 months ago
Please don’t give kids smartphones period. A smart watch is far less addictive and just as valuable to parents and kids (parents can track location, kids can still make phone calls and txt.) other suggestions are a dumb phone (think t9 txting), or just let them go phoneless.
majestictechie@lemmy.fosshost.com 2 months ago
gray@pawb.social 2 months ago
There are several cellular capable watches.
return2ozma@lemmy.world 2 months ago
My Samsung watch works without a phone on Google Fi network. Watches get a free line.
PHLAK@lemmy.world 2 months ago
On Google Fi the watch data “piggy backs” on the phone’s data. You still need a phone + phone plan.
GBU_28@lemm.ee 2 months ago
Or just give them a dumb phone.
helenslunch@feddit.nl 2 months ago
Garmin makes watches specifically for kids and seem to have a decent privacy policy.
falk1856@midwest.social 2 months ago
Anyone have a recommendation for a decent kids smartwatch with cell service? I got my son a Garmin Bounce and the text and the service sucked so we returned it.
prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
You can find older Apple Watches for fairly cheap, I paid 10 bucks a month on T-Mobile for just the watch plan.
You would need to have an iPhone in order to manage it but you can manage a watch for a kid that way. They have school mode for them so it just acts as a watch with emergency contact action at school.
yaycupcake@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 months ago
I don’t think going phoneless would be a great idea because emergencies happen and people need to communicate but society would probably be better if kids weren’t glued to smartphone apps and social media from a young age. The smart watch or dumb phone idea makes sense to me though.
copd@lemmy.world 2 months ago
The emergency argument can be managed by not giving kids phone internet aceess (wifi or lte). Im sure there are products out there which fit that requirement