Smartwatches are no longer exclusive to adults, as many companies have come out with their own watches designed and built for children and young users. One of the most active and notable brands in this segment is Xiaomi, though it hasn’t been keen on releasing its line of kid-friendly watches on the local market in the past.
That changed earlier this month, when the company announced the Xiaomi Smart Kids Watch in the Philippines, alongside the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 fitness band and Xiaomi TV A Pro Series. Locally, the watch has a suggested retail price of P4,899 or roughly $86 converted.
Do we think it’s worth the wait? More importantly, is it highly recommended? Read on for our verdict.
Xiaomi Smart Kids Watch preview video
The Xiaomi Smart Kids Watch comes in two colors: blue and this nice peach colorway with bright red accents, which we used in this review. Both watch styles have the same size and sport plastic bodies color-matched with silicone straps. We like that the strap has plenty of holes for ventilation and can be adjusted to get a tight fit on small wrists.
The Xiaomi Smart Kids Watch comes with 2ATM splash resistance, too, making it technically water-resistant to a certain degree and safe to wear while washing hands and brushing teeth. It’s not waterproof, though, and that’s completely understandable given the price.
And similar to most other kid-friendly smartwatches out there, practicality precedes comfort and style here. That means some users may find the device to be pretty bulky. Honestly, we heard no such complaints from our grade-schooler tester. She actually thinks it’s “cute, but not in a toy way” — your mileage will vary. The supplied silicone strap is soft and must feel comfortable on her skin as well, as it didn’t cause any rashes or irritation despite prolonged wear.
‘Connectivity is a big strength here. The watch can connect to both WiFi and 4G networks for communication’
Revü
Connectivity is a big strength here. The watch can connect to both WiFi and 4G networks for communication, so you don’t need to turn on your hotspot to enable its features. Xiaomi has equipped the Smart Kids Watch with a nano SIM card slot on the side, which can be accessed without the help of a SIM-eject tool.
Pairing is quick and easy. Just fire up the Google Play Store or App Store on your phone and download the Xiaomi Kids app. Sign in with your Xiaomi account or create one, tap the “Pair device” button below, and scan the QR code on the watch using your device. That’s it! Easy-peasy. With the app, you can create a family group chat, add family members, open chat windows and send voice and text messages, call or locate the watch, plus many more. It even lets you set a power-off time, though you can turn off the watch remotely as well.
The app also allows you to pin your home, school, and other locations, effectively creating a network of “safe zones” for your child. You can configure the watch to send notifications whenever your child arrives or leaves those pinned locations. However, you need to set the device’s location setting to Standard or Performance mode first to enable more precise location readouts at the cost of faster battery drain.
Screenshots of the Xiaomi Kids app UI
Speaking of which, the Xiaomi Smart Kids Watch packs a 900mAh battery that lasts three to five days depending on your child’s usage and how often its video-calling and location-based features are used. Using 4G data will eat up a lot of battery power, too, so you may want to teach your child how to disable WiFi or 4G on the watch to extend its mileage.
One thing you don’t need to teach him or her is how to turn off the watch because there’s no way to manually switch it off. Holding the power/home button will trigger an SOS alert and vibrate the watch, or give you the option to restart it if you hold the button long enough. To power it off, you need to open the Xiaomi Kids app and select Turn off Watch from the Watch Management tab. We get the rationale behind it, but we wish Xiaomi would consider adding a power-off option in a future software update.
The device charges via a proprietary USB cable with a magnetic end that has multiple pins which connect to the back panel. You don’t get fast charging, so it will take more than two hours to top it up from zero to full. Given the days-long battery life, at least you don’t have to charge often.
The 1.4-inch LCD display has a max brightness rated at around 279 nits
The LCD display measures 1.4 inches diagonally, with max brightness rated at around 279 nits. The screen is too small for typing, so instead of sending text messages, your child can send real-time voice recordings from the watch when connected to a WiFi or 4G network. It’s not the brightest panel out there — and it’s admittedly difficult to view under strong sunlight — but it is still very usable outdoors.
The watch face is surrounded by thick bezels and a camera for selfies and video calls. Picture quality is surprisingly good for a budget smartwatch aimed at children, and the built-in mic and speaker are solid for the price, too. We didn’t encounter any issues making and receiving calls to and from the Xiaomi Smart Kids Watch using different smartphones.
The company says it uses advanced commercial encryption methods, such as HTTPS and WSS, for safe and secure data transmission. Additionally, the Xiaomi Smart Kids Watch does not grant system permissions to unauthorized third parties, eliminating the possibility of personal information leaks from the device itself.
Final thoughts
The Xiaomi Smart Kids Watch is a terrific option for budget-conscious parents looking for a kid-friendly smartwatch that ticks all the necessary checkboxes. It can connect to a WiFi or 4G network for independent messaging capabilities as well as GPS-based tracking; it pairs with Android and iOS devices via the Xiaomi Kids app; the screen is big enough for video chat, and the camera quality is nice for the price; and your kid will get days of usage on a single charge. If you’re in the market for a kids watch without too many distractions, this is the one to get.
The Xiaomi Smart Kids Watch is available at Xiaomi stores and authorized retailers nationwide.
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