Look ma, there’s an Apple Watch on my wrist and I’m safe. ‘Apple Watch For Your Kids’ on Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 4 and later is now available in India. There has been a debate in parenting circles about what technology is appropriate for kids as they grow up. This is where the new strategy comes into play.

With Apple Watch For Your Kids comes both peace of mind as well as independence for the child. On the one hand, it makes it possible for the entire family to enjoy important health and safety features of the device, like Emergency SOS, while Maps, Siri, Alarms and the App Store, offer independence without the need for an iPhone.

Apple Watch can be set up through a parent's iPhone

It’s a perfect solution when your child isn’t old enough for an iPhone; the Apple Watch can be a helpful alternative device that offers many of the key safety and communication features of the iPhone. Parents can breathe a sigh of relief when they can communicate with their children and identify their location and, at the same time, they know that all personal data stays securely encrypted.

How does it work?

Consider a child using the Apple Watch For Your Kids plan. They can have their own phone number through a separate cellular plan and by using their own Apple ID, they can keep track of their schedule and family events using Calendar. But it’s your iPhone that can manage their Apple Watch. The pitch is simple: A cellular-connected Watch enables parents to call or text their child.

What Apple is not mentioning directly is safety and connectivity features come without the distraction of social media apps or games that can be loaded on a smartphone.

With watchOS 10, the whole family can take advantage of optimised features that enhance the overall Apple Watch experience. Apple Watch can be set up through a parent’s iPhone. It means children can connect with their entire family and friends through calls and messages.

Importantly for parents, a family member’s location can be shared with their guardian through the Find People app on Apple Watch, and location notifications are customisable, allowing the guardian to receive an update on their family member’s location for one occasion, or on a recurring or time-based schedule.

Emergency SOS is there when the occasion arises. Family members using Apple Watch For Your Kids can access emergency services using the side button, and guardians will be automatically notified if they are listed as an emergency contact. Equally important is the feature where kids can refer to their Medical ID that documents critical information such as medical conditions, allergies and medications.

Rings and more

A key feature of the Apple Watch revolves around Activity Rings. In this setup, it gets optimised for children to track Move minutes rather than kilojoules burned and provide customisable goals for the Exercise and Stand rings. Outdoor Walk, Outdoor Run, and Outdoor Cycle workouts are tuned for kids. Children can also send and receive Activity Sharing invitations directly on Apple Watch, challenge friends with Activity Competitions, and see an Awards page.

Parents, don’t fret because Apple Watch For Your Kids comes with a mode called Schooltime. It makes sure that kids stay focused when they are studying. During Schooltime, a yellow circle is displayed on the watch face for teachers and parents to recognise that access to apps has been restricted and Do Not Disturb is turned on. You can also set the schedule on your iPhone so Apple Watch automatically goes into Schooltime during certain hours. Further, the Downtime feature of Screen Time gets extends to Apple Watch, with the child receiving a reminder five minutes before it begins.

Parents can also manage what is available for download on the Watch through Content Restrictions.

According to the Pew Research Centre in the US, 72 per cent of high school teachers and 33 per cent of all teachers say cell phones are a major problem in the classroom.

What you need

You need an Apple Watch Series 4 or later with mobile data, or Apple Watch SE with mobile data, with watchOS 7 or later. An iPhone 6s or later with iOS 14 or later is needed for the initial watch setup. Also required: An Apple ID for yourself and one for the family member who will use the Apple Watch. Your Apple ID needs to have two-factor authentication turned on. Don’t forget: A Family Sharing group that includes the person who will use the Apple Watch. You’ll need to have the role of organiser or parent/guardian to set up an Apple Watch for a family member. A wireless service plan for Apple Watch is required for cellular service, currently available through Jio in India.

By the way, don’t forget that the Apple Watch is way more difficult to break and lose than a phone.

At a glance

• Parents can be aware of the whereabouts of their child

• Apple Watch is sturdy and far more difficult to damage than a smartphone

• It’s a good way to keep children away from social media on smartphones

• Focus on Move minutes rather than kilojoules burned

• Data remains safe and encrypted

• Schooltime mode makes sure kids stay focused when they are studying

• Parents can manage what is available for download on the Watch through Content Restrictions