Gaming is at the heart of the first true kids Wear OS watch
Google has announced the imminent arrival of the Fitbit Ace LTE, a gaming-centric smartwatch for kids aged 7 and above.
Instead of what the Fitbit Ace line has been in previous generations – essentially a stripped-back Fitbit fitness tracker without GPS – this latest iteration is a complete rethink.
Instead of trying to motivate kids to move with basic movement prompts, as we saw with the Ace 3, the unique skin of Wear OS running on the Ace LTE sees users prompted to move to unlock more gaming time. And safety features are now finally incorporated.
Let’s analyze the full announcement.
Move to game
The iOS and Android-friendly Ace LTE comes with six games at launch, and the overarching aim is to get kids moving for at least 60 minutes per day.
Users can play for a certain period before they’re prodded to add to their step count to unlock more, while an ‘Eejie’ also lives alongside the user.
This is a Tamagotchi-like creature for which kids can ‘buy’ in-game clothes, rooms, items, and accessories by exchanging arcade tickets won by meeting daily progress goals and playing the games.
Streaks will also be visible to help incentivize movement, with everything tracked from the built-in accelerometer, optical heart rate, altimeter, magnetometer, gyroscope, and ambient light sensor.
In fact, despite it looking more similar to the Fitbit Versa 4 or Fitbit Sense 2, the Ace LTE’s internals are all based on the Google Pixel Watch 2 – even down to the charger.
The major differences between the two, then, are in the more playful, bump-protected design and software tweaks.
Alongside the big emphasis on moving to unlock games, staying connected – as the name implies – is now also a key part of the Ace LTE.
Well, assuming you cough up some extra dough.
The $9.99 per month (or $119.99 per year) ‘Ace Pass’ provides access to all the essential features: device location, voice calls, messages, and the gaming arcade – though the built-in SIM does negate the need for a paired user phone, at least.
To link the watch, parents only need to pair it with the all-new Fitbit Ace app on their own phone. This is where they can keep an eye on everything their child is doing, add up to 20 trusted contacts for kids to call or text, and check their whereabouts.
A tailored experience
Naturally, different modes can be accessed from the Ace LTE’s app, as well, turning it from a Pixel Watch 2 with a case bumper into a true child-friendly device.
The ‘School Time’ mode, for example, will shut off access to any games but still track activity in the background. And when it comes to privacy, Google stresses that the only people who can view the user’s location are parents.
Location data is also deleted every 24 hours, and activity data only remains in the app for up to 35 days before it’s automatically deleted. No data is used to serve any advertisements, either.
There are also tailored arrangements coming to features like contactless payments (which Google says will arrive over the coming months), and there’s no access to third-party apps.
The only downside of being similar to the Pixel Watch 2 is the battery life, it seems. Google suggests the Ace LTE will last around 16 hours, though you can at least top it up and receive an additional 11 hours from 30 minutes on charge.
Pricing & availability
The Fitbit Ace LTE will be available for $229.95 starting on June 5 in the US, though it’s unclear when the smartwatch will be available in different regions (if at all).
If you are stateside, though, signing up for a year of the Ace Pass before August 31 will see you save 50% and also receive a free additional band.
We look forward to testing this one over the next few weeks, so stay tuned for our full review.
