As you would expect, not all parents want to equip their children with a phone, especially given the rise in cyberbullying and the large number of distractions it poses while they are at school. Fortunately, the Fitbit Ace LTE is a more reduced alternative, which matches its all-time low of $199.95 ($30 off) at Amazon, Best buyand the Google Store until August 25th.
Unlike most smartwatches, the Ace LTE is specifically aimed at kids. The durable watch features the same innards as Google’s Pixel Watch 2 and LTE connectivity, which allows for real-time calling, messaging, and location sharing. It also comes with a Tamagotchi-like friend (nicknamed Eejie) and several wrist-based video games, all of which require kids to complete various exercise objectives to access. What’s more, Fitbit recently launched a Tap to Pay feature, allowing kids with a Green light or GoHenry account – both offer debit cards for kids and teens – to make purchases wherever Google Pay is accepted.
The big caveat to Fitbit’s latest wearable is that it requires a $9.99 monthly or $120 annual subscription to take advantage of the LTE-based features. That said, Ace LTE doesn’t require a phone, nor does it need to go through a carrier. Additionally, Google is offering 50% off an annual Ace Pass subscription until August 31, bringing the combined price of the watch and its data plan down to just $260.