Samsung has introduced a new mode that can turn the Galaxy Watch 7 into a smartwatch more suitable for younger wrists.
The Galaxy Watch for Kids experience, announced at Samsung’s first Unpacked event of the year, allows parents to set up a Galaxy Watch 7 to make it a more child-friendly smartwatch. It includes the ability to share location and activate a Do Not Disturb mode when it’s time to do their homework or pay attention in class.
Samsung has built the feature with Google and uses its Google Family Link app to set up the parameters and restrictions.
However, it’s designed only to work with the LTE version of the Galaxy Watch 7. Once paired to an adult’s smartphone and the SIM has been activated, a smartphone is no longer required to use the smartwatch.
Samsung
Along with the location sharing and do not disturb mode, additional features include being able to manage stored contacts that can be called or messaged and being able to send out an SOS message to one of those contacts by pressing the side button on the Watch 7 five times.
Samsung is also offering new watch faces and watch straps to give its smartwatch a more fun look and provides access to over 20 ‘teacher approved’ apps and watch faces from the world of Marvel, Barbie, Crayola and others to give it a more playful profile.
Apps outside of those need to be approved by a parent to be downloaded to the watch.
The new Galaxy Watch for Kids experience rollout has already begun in the US with Galaxy Watch 7 LTE models that support it now available from Samsung, Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T.
It arrives a few years after Apple did something pretty similar with its Family Setup which landed with watchOS 7 back in 2020 and has since been renamed to Apple Watch For Your Kids.
It’s perhaps a bit surprising Samsung hasn’t made this available on the more affordable Galaxy Watch FE, though it lacks the LTE connectivity needed for some of the features.
Still, it means that Android phone owners now have the option of picking up a smartwatch from one of the biggest names in the business that can be a better fit for their kids until Samsung decides to make a dedicated one. You could also pick one of the best Fitbits for Kids.
