Smartwatches have been a fairly niche product category thus far, in spite of leading tech companies like Google, Apple and Samsung desperately trying to popularize the product among mainstream consumers. Even though smartwatch sales are rising at a rapid rate, they are still far from becoming the must-have accessories that smartphones have turned into over the past decade or so. However, at least one company believes that there is a large-enough market for smart wristwatches, even when they are targeted at a very specific segment of society. Chinese telecommunication and consumer electronics giant, Huawei, had launched its first-generation smartwatches targeted at children back in August last year, and the response must have been encouraging enough for the company to have now come out with its next-gen devices exactly a year down the line.
Like last year’s products, this particular range of kids’ watches from Huawei also comes with colorful Disney and Marvel themes, which should no doubt appeal to children all around the world. There are four different models, and while toddlers and preschoolers can pick between either a Mickey Mouse-themed watch or a Minnie Mouse-themed one, slightly older kids can get themselves a Frozen Four or Captain America-themed device. Sadly, though, unlike last year, there doesn’t seem to be any Toy Story-themed watches this time around. Either way, Huawei has maintained last year’s pricing, and is asking for 688 Yuan ($104) apiece in its home country, but there’s no word on if the company intends to launch the devices outside China at any stage.
Of course, being ‘smart’ watches, the devices bring some serious security features for parents who’d want to keep a tab on their kids. The watch incorporates not just a number of sensors like GPS, Compass and accelerometer, but also supports WLAN. The device also comes with a gesture control feature, dubbed ‘Shake’, whereby two watches within a 10-meter (32-feet) range can actually establish contact. It’s something that should allow kids to have a lot of fun while allowing them to stay in touch with their friends or siblings playing in the vicinity. The smartwatch, meanwhile, will also be pretty versatile, seeing as it will come with voice-calling. All in all, it should be a pretty interesting device once it goes on sale, although there’s no word currently on when that will happen.
