Add the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 to the list of kid-friendly smartwatches. Leading up to the company’s Unpacked event on Wednesday, Samsung announced a partnership with Google to launch the new Galaxy Watch for Kids experience on the Watch 7.
The mode will work with the $349.99 LTE version of the Galaxy Watch 7, with service initially available through AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Parents will be able to set up the watch with their phone without the child needing one of their own. Parents can then use the Google Family Link app to monitor their child’s location, as well as manage contacts and apps available on the watch, while placing some restrictions on functionality during school hours.
From the shop, children will receive a new selection of games and watch faces featuring characters such as Barbie, Captain America and Weird team by PBS Kids, with each offering designed to promote creativity, learning and physical activity.
Parents Preserved
The Galaxy Watch 7 is Samsung’s current smartwatch, loaded with wellness and lifestyle features like heart rate, sleep and exercise tracking. The same sensors will be used in the children’s version to monitor daily activity and encourage healthy habits.
Although the Watch 7 works with any Android phone, setting up the Watch 7 in kids mode requires a Samsung Galaxy smartphone with One UI 5.1 or higher. The phone will use Google’s Family Link account sharing tool to complete setup, similar to how parents can use Apple Watch mode for kids with an iPhone and an Apple Watch.
Once set up, parents can turn on location sharing to check their child’s location through the watch. They can also call or text the child through the watch and manage watch contacts to decide who else the child can call or text. Children can send an SOS message by pressing the side button five times, which notifies the established emergency contact.
(Credit: Andrew Gebhart)
Parents can also control app downloads and limit which activities are available per hour in a customizable school time mode.
Apps and games for kids
While parents can use this mode for more peace of mind, the experience on the device is also tailored to make the watch fun for kids. The watch will continue to run Google’s Wear OS operating system, with access to Google’s many watch apps through the Play Store with parental approval. As part of the launch, Google is adding 20 new apps and watch faces to a kids’ section of the Play Store, each of which is “teacher-approved,” according to the company.
New options include a Rubik’s Cube clock face that lets kids try to solve the classic puzzle with 3D animations. MathTango uses dancing monsters to encourage children to practice multiplication. The store will also have a Barbie-themed coloring game, a jumping game with Marvel characters like Groot and the Hulk, and a PBS problem-solving game Weird team.
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Samsung will also offer unique, colorful bands to go with the watch.
Costly peace of mind
With the new Kids Mode, Samsung is taking on devices dedicated to kids’ use, like the Editors’ Choice winner Fitbit Ace LTE ($229.95) and the Verizon Gizmo Watch 3 ($149.99). Needless to say, the asking price of an LTE Galaxy Watch 7 is steep for a kids’ watch, especially since Apple offers similar parental controls on older, more affordable models. This mod also requires the parent to have a Samsung phone, which limits the potential audience given that the Ace LTE and Gizmo Watch 3 work on both Android and iOS handsets.
However, the features make sense as a way to give parents peace of mind, plus some of the kid-specific apps even look fun to me, a grown adult. This kids mode may return to older Samsung watches at some point, but it may make sense for your family already if you’re invested in Samsung and want a fun note-taking option for your child.
Samsung is also showing off plenty of new gadgets and features for adults at Unpacked. Stay tuned for all announcements from the show.
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About Andrew Gebhart
Senior analyst, smart home and wearables
