Apple’s New Watch: For Your Kid but Not You
On Wednesday, Apple announced on its new marketing website that they are doing a rebranding of their Apple Watch for kids features those targets children this time around, labeling it as “a great call for kids.”
The rebranded watches give an insight to parents on how the watch can be used with children who are young to own a smartphone.
The Catch
The catch here is that it can be used without the child owning a smartphone. A statement on the website stated that, “Easy to call and text. Know where they are. Great ways to keep them active. It’s independence for them. And peace of mind for you.”
The watch’s software allows parents to track down their children’s location and be in control of the device which is called ‘Apple Watch for Your Kids,’ a rebrand from its ‘Family Setup’ label.
The watch’s features are quite helpful when considering its use without connecting to a smartphone, limiting the use of screentime. Another advantage is that it does not include any application whatsoever.
Apple is rebranding their devices as a ban on smartphones in schools or efforts to limit them due to social media distractions. Glenn Youngkin, the Governor of Virginia, has given an order that cell phone-free school policies be made, with public schools in New York City and Los Angeles also looking forward to curtailing cell phone use. Pew Research Centre states that 72% of high school teachers and 33% of all teachers see cell phones as a big problem.
The Cupertino-based giant is working on making Apple Watch more independent by adding cellular connectivity that requires a carrier subscription. Piper Sandler revealed through a May survey that the device is increasingly preferred by young people with 34% of American teenagers having one. Additionally, safety features like Fall Detection and Heart Monitoring are aimed at elderly users.
Better than a Child Harness
Apple enhanced its Family Setup feature which was launched last year in 2020 where parents could manage their child’s Apple Watch from their phone. Some new features include turning off notifications during school hours and the low-cost Apple Watch SE.
If the Apple Watch does not need to be connected to a smartphone, parents would be receptive to the idea. This feature can be seen as a ‘Hail Mary’ since it decreases the child’s screentime, but the only downside is the question of the parents’ affordability of the watch.
The fact that a giant such as Apple is considering children in their creations is a hopeful start to allow other Big Tech giants to follow in its lead as well. The world hopes other Apple products will be molded to suit children’s wellbeing and advantage.
Could this watch be also called a modern-day child harness?
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