I have been researching the “Apple Watch for Your Kids” feature to determine whether it meets my needs and performs as advertised. However, my impression is that this feature is very limited in Australia.
The main reason for my conclusion is that Australia’s major telcos do not offer dedicated plans for the “Apple Watch for Your Kids” feature. Instead, they only support linking the watch to your existing mobile plan. This means that calls and messages made from the watch appear as if they are coming from your own mobile number, not your child’s. Essentially, the watch becomes an extension of your identity, not your child’s.
The “Apple Watch for Your Kids” feature is marketed as allowing the watch to function as your child’s standalone identity. Communication from the watch would display your child’s name, and tracking would associate with their identity rather than yours. For this functionality to work, the watch requires a separate data plan. In Australia, the only provider offering such plans is a company called BetterRoaming. However, reviews for BetterRoaming are generally poor, with users frequently reporting connectivity issues—which defeats the purpose of using the device as a reliable communication tool.
This is what I’ve discovered so far. I’d love to hear from others about their experiences with the “Apple Watch for Your Kids” feature or any alternative methods for maintaining communication with children.
My goal is to stay connected with my kids and keep track of them without giving them a smartphone, which they would likely end up using to play web browser games.
there is child specific smart watches that you can get (eg; SpaceTalk)