Apple Watch for a 10 year old

I am not an expert on this but somebody else asked a similar question not long ago. I'd check reception in your area. I recall it being posted that the watch's ability to connect to cellular directly is limited.

Frankly, I am wondering if an Apple Watch is a wise purchase for a 10 year old child. It's an expensive and delicate piece of electronics. I'd be more inclined to go with a cheap no-contract phone. It may not have GPS but tell your son if you are calling you expect him to answer.

Leaving the cost and fragile nature of the watch aside for as moment.

1. Depends on the type of watch.

The Series 3 GPS+Cellular does not require an iPhone nearby to get calls or messages, but will only get the calls and messages from the paired iPhone. If its paired with your iPhone the watch will get the calls and messages that come in to your iPhone. The watch does not get a separate number.

The Series 3 GPS only Apple watch requires an iPhone be nearby, or connection to a Wifi network, to get calls and messages which possibly will not be available when he's outside riding his bike, but again will get the calls and messages that come in to the paired iPhone.

2. Yes. You can pair more than one Apple Watch to an iPhone. But again, it will be getting your calls and messages. And will be using your Apple ID, since its paired to your iPhone. Use more than one Apple Watch with your iPhone - Apple Support

The watch is designed to be used by the same person that owns the phone. So not likely to work for what you want.

There are other smart watches that can be connected to an iPhone and tracked and ones designed for children.

http://www.smartwatches4u.com/news/Top-Kids-GPS-Tracking-Smartwatches

Yes. The number is just a billing ID used by the carrier. Its assigned only for identification purposes on your plan. It's not a working mobile number.

@Phil0124 - I think that is a great summary of the technical reasons why this might not be the best idea. Depending on the neighborhood there is also a safety concern which should be considered before putting a high value device on the wrist of a relatively vulnerable 10 year old.

Branta_uk wrote:

@Phil0124 - I think that is a great summary of the technical reasons why this might not be the best idea. Depending on the neighborhood there is also a safety concern which should be considered before putting a high value device on the wrist of a relatively vulnerable 10 year old.

Thanks and Indeed that is also a consideration.

Depending on who your cellular carrier is, you may have better options. Verizon (and possibly other carriers) offers something called the LG Gizmo Pal (and Gizmo Gadget). They are standalone, wrist-worn devices designed for exactly what you want to do. And, they're $79 (plus cost of service). Also, much, much more durable than an Apple Watch.

You cannot use the watch separate from an iPhone. It cannot have its own number. It is not a standalone cell phone. It requires a paired iPhone to setup, and function. Even the GPS+Cellular Series 3 Apple Watch.

Even when the paired iPhone is not nearby, calls made by the iPhone's number will be received by the Watch The Apple Watch will have the same number as the paired iPhone as that is the way the carriers set it up.

ie. calls to the iPhone ring on the Apple watch and as such the phone number would be the same.

The watch may get a unique number for billing purposes from the cellular carrier, but much like the number assigned to a cellular iPad calls and messages would not be able to be placed to that number. It's merely a billing ID.

There is no way for an Apple Watch to have its own cell number. and it cannot be used as a standalone cell device.

This may be carrier dependent but from my own devices (UK/EE) a different number is assigned to the watch and appears in the list of devices on my account, but it can’t be called directly, and calls originated from the watch have caller ID as the host iPhone.