As you might expect, not every parent wants to outfit their kid with a phone, especially given the rise in cyberbullying and the sheer amount of distractions they pose while in school. Thankfully, the Fitbit Ace LTE is a more pared-down alternative, one that’s matching its all-time low of $199.95 ($30 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and the Google Store through August 25th.
Unlike most smartwatches, the Ace LTE is specifically geared toward children. The durable watch features the same innards as Google’s Pixel Watch 2 and LTE connectivity, which enables calling, messaging, and real-time location sharing. It also comes with a Tamagotchi-like buddy (nicknamed Eejie) and several wrist-based video games, all of which require children to complete various exercise goals to access. What’s more, Fitbit recently rolled out a Tap to Pay feature, allowing kids with either a Greenlight or GoHenry account — both of which offer debit cards for children and teens — to make purchases wherever Google Pay is accepted.
The big caveat with Fitbit’s latest wearable is that it requires a $9.99 monthly or $120 annual subscription to take advantage of the LTE-based features. That said, the Ace LTE doesn’t require a phone, nor do you have to go through a carrier. Plus, Google is offering 50 percent off an annual subscription to Ace Pass through August 31st, dropping the combined price of the watch and its data plan to just $260.