Fitbit has announced a new watch for children, the Fitbit Ace LTE.
The Ace series has been part of the Fitbit line-up since 2018 but parent company Google calls the Ace LTE a “first-of-its-kind” watch.
Unlike earlier Ace models, the Ace LTE has a mobile data connection. This means it can track a child’s location throughout the day without them needing to be within range of a Wi-FI network or your Bluetooth device. It also allows for on-watch calls.
The outer design of the Fitbit Ace LTE is also much closer to that of the Versa series than earlier models. It looks like a smartwatch, not a smaller fitness tracker.
There’s also much more going on inside than in the previous Fitbit Ace watches.
The watch features several upscale (for a watch) 3D games as part of Fitbit Arcade. Playtime on these games is unlocked through physical activity. As in a normal fitness tracker, the watch’s sensors monitor this.
Google blog previews show a fishing title called Smokey Lake and a Mario Kart-a-like called Pollo 13. Fitbit promises “fresh new games every few months.”
This interactive element is Google’s most compelling argument for the Ace LTE as a “first”. Many kid-tracking watches have offered on-watch calls and location tracking for parents over recent years.
The Fitbit Ace LTE also has a virtual pet element. An Eejie, shown as a green-faced tween character, will appear “healthy and happy” if the wearer gets enough exercise.
"Completing daily activities and moving through each game,” lets the child unlock outfits and customisations for the Eejie too.
It’s a gamification of basic activity tracking Fitbit has arguably moved away from in its watches for adults.
This side of the watch will also be used to lighten parents’ wallets over time. There are six straps at launch, and rather than just offering a different look, feel, or fit, they unlock items on the watch itself, "like a mini-game cartridge”, says Fitbit.
Some parents may groan at the prospect of being badgered for watch accessories, which "will be released regularly”. But the Fitbit Ace LTE represents one of the more thorough investigations of what a kids’ watch can be, rather than just producing a more colourful, stripped-back version of the normal watch for adults.
The Fitbit Ace LTE requires a subscription, the Ace Pass, but this is normal for connected kids’ watches because core features need a data connection.
The Fitbit Ace LTE costs $229.95 (£181) in the US, while the Ace Pass is $9.99 (£7.86) a month. The watch will go on sale on June 5.
We only have US prices but have approached Fitbit for details on UK release plans.
