Apple launches watch for kids in India with easy calling, texting, activity monitoring

New Delhi: Tech giant Apple on Wednesday launched its watch for kids in India that comes with easy calling, texting, and activity monitoring.

The Apple Watch for kids is functional “even if they don’t have their own iPhone”, said the company in a statement.

It may help parents who do not want to give mobile phones to children.

“Apple Watch For Your Kids is available in India, on cellular models of Apple Watch Series 4 or later or Apple Watch SE, paired with iPhone 8 or later running the latest watchOS and iOS,” Apple said.

“It brings communication, health, fitness, and safety features of Apple Watch to kids and other family members who do not yet have an iPhone,” the company added.

It can be set up through a parent’s iPhone and is easy to call and text.

Parents can know the location of their children, while all the personal data stays securely encrypted.

Parents also can approve all contacts, so kids can safely use the communication features of the Apple Watch.

Besides children, the entire family can also benefit from the important health and safety features of the Apple Watch, like Emergency SOS, while Maps, Siri, Alarms, and the App Store provide greater independence without needing an iPhone.

“Kids using Apple Watch For Your Kids will have their own phone number through a separate cellular plan, and by using their own Apple ID,” Apple said, adding that a wireless service plan for Apple Watch is required for cellular service, currently available through Jio in India.

The children can also follow schedules and family events using the calendar feature, learn to manage tasks with reminders, and view photo albums synced from a guardian’s iPhone.

Using the App Store on Apple Watch, kids can download third-party apps directly on the device, while parents can manage what is available for download.