Pondering over the idea of buying a phone for your child this year? Here are some aspects to bear in mind before making the purchase
The market for smartwatches for kids is growing, with the T-Mobile SyncUP Kids Watch and the Fitbit Ace LTE being two popular options. Although both devices cater to the needs of children, they differ significantly in terms of features and focus.
The T-Mobile SyncUP Kids Watch stands out as a comprehensive solution for parents concerned about online safety and communication control. It offers real-time GPS tracking, parent-approved communication (calls and texts), water resistance, and the ability to set safe zones with alerts when a child enters or leaves these zones. Integrating with T-Mobile’s FamilyMode and Safe & Found services, parents can control internet access, set web browsing filters, view location history, and manage screen time across devices [1][5].
On the other hand, the Fitbit Ace LTE is more focused on fitness and health encouragement. It uses advanced hardware to track activity and turns active moments into tokens for playing arcade games. However, it lacks the extensive parental control and online safety tools present in the SyncUP Kids Watch [2].
For parents prioritizing online safety, communication control, and GPS tracking, the T-Mobile SyncUP Kids Watch is the superior option. It provides a robust platform to keep kids connected but protected through extensive parental controls and safety features integrated into T-Mobile’s ecosystem [1][5].
In contrast, some parents may prefer to choose their own phone and install parental control software like Bark or Canopy due to concerns about flickering displays on Samsung, Google, or Apple phones. Phones from brands like Motorola, TCL, OnePlus, Nothing, and Honor are known for their flicker-free displays [10].
There are also dedicated kids' phones like the Gabb Phone and Bark Phone, which use Samsung Galaxy phones as a base and come with preinstalled parental control software. Gabb even includes its own music streaming service with millions of songs [9].
In terms of apps, YouTube Kids app allows parents to curate content for children, but the app is not user-friendly, and some content keeps coming back even after removal. PinwheelGPT, a search engine service with parental controls built-in, provides safe answers for children's questions [8].
Shared spaces and conversations can help keep everyone accountable and make it easy to discuss important topics or monitor what's on the other side of the screen [11]. It's essential for parents to remain vigilant when allowing children to watch content on platforms like YouTube and approve new content before watching [3].
Google Family Link is a parental control service that allows control of apps, screen time limits, and real-time location tracking. However, it locks a child's Google account into a child Google account until they legally turn 13. Bark or Canopy are alternative parental control services that do not force alteration of a Google account [4][6].
While the Fitbit Ace LTE is another popular smartwatch for kids, it is not as comprehensive in terms of parental control and online safety features as the T-Mobile SyncUP Kids Watch. Therefore, when choosing a device for your child, it's crucial to consider your priorities and select the one that best suits your family's needs [2].
References:
- T-Mobile SyncUP Kids Watch: https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-accessories/smartwatches/syncup-kids-watch
- Fitbit Ace LTE: https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/products/ace3
- YouTube Kids: https://www.youtube.com/kids/
- Google Family Link: https://families.google.com/familylink/
- T-Mobile FamilyMode: https://www.t-mobile.com/resources/solutions/family-mode
- Bark: https://www.bark.us/
- Canopy: https://www.canopyapp.com/
- PinwheelGPT: https://pinwheel.ai/
- Gabb Phone: https://gabbwireless.com/products/gabb-phone
- Flicker-free displays: https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/phones-with-flicker-free-displays/
- Shared spaces and conversations: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/5-tips-for-setting-up-family-media-rules
- The T-Mobile SyncUP Kids Watch, with its extensive parental control and online safety tools, can be a valuable choice for families prioritizing health-and-wellness through real-time GPS tracking and safe internet access.
- In contrast, the Fitbit Ace LTE, despite being a popular option, primarily focuses on health-and-fitness encouragement, offering limited parental control and online safety features compared to the T-Mobile SyncUP Kids Watch.
