apple watch for pre teen

[craigthecoupe]

Our youngster is about to turn 10, and we are about to move to a new area (though we already know it very well).
She will be playing out a lot with other kids, and would feel better if we had some way of contacting her, and her us.
She is absolutely screen mad, and of course quite forgetful. We wont give her a phone yet, but was wondering if a second hand apple watch might be a good halfway house? she often wears an analogue watch already, so would like to think it would be a smooth transition. I've already read we can manage apps/school time/restrict numbers etc, and i'm quite keen to go down this route over designated kids watches, as I imagine the tech in an apple watch is far superior.
I'm a bit of a luddite with tech, so am asking, what spec of watch is it i'm looking for, and what sort of price on the second hand market am I likely to pay?
Thanks for anyone who can help.

[Badda]

I’m not sure Apple Watch’s allow comms without a phone pairing. Might be wrong. We found a cheap imitation one on Amazon a good solution, with a payg sim in. Beware that schools don’t tend to like them though.

[Alorotom]

Any apple watch would need an iphone to be paired with initially, however, assuming you buy a cellular watch and have an appropriate cellular plan for it once set up it will fully function away from the iphone and be able to receive calls etc.

[craigthecoupe]

Thats as I undestand it, yes. My wife is an apple user, so we would be sorted from that point of view.
Badda, I don't suppose you could share the sort of thing you got? is it easy to use? A couple of comments i read online was that on the imitation watches, sound quality was so poor it was pointless, and another, battery life was dismal.

[Goa'uld]

https://xplora.co.uk/products/x6play?variant=43967...

We have two of these, they have a £6 monthly data plan.

Can setup geo fence areas, we use it as an unobtrusive heads up for the school bus getting back in our area as the time fluctuates.

Other than that they're really only used to call them to come back for dinner/sports clubs when out and about and works brilliantly for this, they get to see their friends and we get to keep to any schedules!

They go in school mode during the day so they're basically a Casio and nothing more, and they get competitive with the step counter on them.

All contact is through the locked app so only us and grandparents can contact them.

[Badda]

craigthecoupe said:

Thats as I undestand it, yes. My wife is an apple user, so we would be sorted from that point of view.
Badda, I don't suppose you could share the sort of thing you got? is it easy to use? A couple of comments i read online was that on the imitation watches, sound quality was so poor it was pointless, and another, battery life was dismal.

It was years back now I'm afraid. It didn't make calls - just messages which was enough 'meet by back gate of school' 'I'm going to be home at X' etc.

[Easternlight]

I know nothing of Apple, but I can't see how the watch can do any calls or messages without being linked to a phone, Bluetooth, WiFi NFC?

[thebraketester]

Easternlight said:

I know nothing of Apple, but I can't see how the watch can do any calls or messages without being linked to a phone, Bluetooth, WiFi NFC?

If you get a cellular with a data plan one then yes they can.

[Badda]

Easternlight said:

I know nothing of Apple, but I can't see how the watch can do any calls or messages without being linked to a phone, Bluetooth, WiFi NFC?

Yeah mine has it's own plan.

[Easternlight]

thebraketester said:

Easternlight said:

I know nothing of Apple, but I can't see how the watch can do any calls or messages without being linked to a phone, Bluetooth, WiFi NFC?

If you get a cellular with a data plan one then yes they can.

Thanks.
Didn't realise, as I said no Apple knowledge.
Just assumed the phone was needed for the connection.

[robsa]

craigthecoupe said:

Thats as I undestand it, yes. My wife is an apple user, so we would be sorted from that point of view.
Badda, I don't suppose you could share the sort of thing you got? is it easy to use? A couple of comments i read online was that on the imitation watches, sound quality was so poor it was pointless, and another, battery life was dismal.

Yes you absolutely can do this, it's called 'Apple Watch For Your Kids' and you need an Apple Watch SE 3 WITH Cellular (important). from £289 to you, Sir.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/watch/apd54d...

[popegregory]

We got the ten year old an Apple Watch after trying the Xplora ones and deciding they were useless (limited usability and drained data). Cost about 16 quid a month with no deposit I think as a subsidiary of my account but was totally independent with its own number and he can call or message and it’s unlimited.

[craigthecoupe]

So this is the tricky thing, one person saying the xplora was excellent, the other saying it's rubbish.... We would use it for a similar setup to Goa'uld. Were after something unobtrusive that's ultimately a watch, but with the capacity to message little one to come in for dinner/ bedtime/change of plan, or for her to contact us if she needs.

[md_ph]

You can get an Apple Watch with an eSIM, costs £6 per month for the contract.

[Crumpet]

We got our ten year old one for Xmas as a halfway house to a phone (which we’re totally against but all his friends have).

It’s obviously got to be the cellular version, but EE gave me the sim for free and it’s all unlimited data and very easy to set up with a parent’s phone. There’s a setting that disables everything when at school.

It’s great really, he can text all his friends with Siri, he can voice call and FaceTime and we can see where he is (or at least where the watch is) which is good because we did lose him in London once! He’s also fascinated by the exercise app, so it’s been great for when he’s swimming or playing sports.

All positives from my point of view and means no access to internet browsing or social media. Just a good, sensible way of communicating.