Fitbit Tipped To Release 4G Smartwatch Built For Kids

Fitbit is preparing to expand its presence in the children's wearables market, a new report claims, with plans to release a 4G smartwatch made specifically for young users. The company is allegedly working with Doki Technologies on this wearable, a company that recently announced plans to stop supporting its own kids' wearables. The new model, assuming the rumor pans out, will join Fitbit's existing Ace 2 device.

Wearables have grown in popularity over the past couple of years, particularly fitness trackers and fitness/smartwatch hybrid devices like the Fitbit Versa, which isn't quite as capable as dedicated smartwatches, but that offers some functionality beyond mere fitness tracking, including Alexa access and Bluetooth audio streaming.

Similarly, we've seen a slow but steady uptick in the kid's wearables market. A number of parents are turning to these devices to keep tabs on their child's location, activity levels, and more, but quality options remain slim. Fitbit worked to change that with the launch of its Fitbit Ace 2, a swimproof vertically-oriented wearable that monitors sleep and 'healthy habits' while offering kids motivation to stay active.

According to sources speaking to Engadget, Fitbit is planning to launch a new kids' smartwatch that features 4G connectivity. This watch will potentially be made using the existing Doki platform, though neither it nor Fitbit have commented on the report.

By the sounds of it, this watch will offer far more features than the Ace and Ace 2 wearables, the obvious one being cellular connectivity. With this, parents may be able to keep track of their child's location and send them messages or call them through the wearable, though exact features weren't mentioned. The wearable would need to be added to a cellular plan for this to work, however.