Verizon's Latest Smartwatch For Kids—The Gizmo Watch 3—Is More Feature-Filled And Faster
The latest iteration of Verizon's smartwatch for kids is here.
CES 2023 officially kicks off this week, but Verizon is wasting no time when it comes to unveiling new devices. First up is the latest entry in its Gizmo family of smartwatches designed for kids.
The Gizmo Watch 3 aims to speed things up with a newer processor and adds a number of new features and capabilities. Like the previous iterations, the Gizmo Watch 3 is designed for children and is meant as a device before a smartphone is given or needed.
Verizon will be selling the Gizmo Watch 3 for $149.99 outright or on a device payment plan for $4.17 a month for 36 months. It officially launches on Jan. 5 and the carrier is offering a deal to kick things off. If you get one Gizmo Watch 3, you can get $100 off a second one.
Gizmo Watch 3: What You Need to Know
As a smartwatch designed for kids, the Gizmo Watch 3 has a number of features to keep them entertained and the parents informed. It looks like a standard smartwatch, mostly resembling a chunkier Apple Watch with a rounded square design that comes in two fun shades: Blue Clay or Mint. You’ll navigate the interface through touch or via a physical button on the right side.
New with the third-generation of the Gizmo Watch are three games: Tic Tac Toe, Puzzles, and Gizmo Says. Your child can also customize the interface to their liking with a few watch faces to pick from. The Gizmo Watch 3 can also track steps and make calls to approved contacts.
Powering the custom software here is a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor, which Verizon says delivers some serious battery life improvements. You can expect 80% more talk time for calls and 20% more standby time for general use. Included with the smartwatch itself is a charger as well.
Above the screen on the front of the Gizmo Watch 3 is a front-facing camera which can be used to snap selfies or videos. But you can also use it to make video calls to trusted and approved contacts. For instance, you can check on your child or they can call the parents to give them an update. The Gizmo Watch 3 can connect with Bluetooth earbuds or headphones, which will be handy for chatting while on the go.
Much of the experience is still controlled and regulated from the companion app that parents will use. It’s available for Android or iOS. There you can add contacts, set limits for using apps, and even set up location monitoring. For instance, you can set safe zones and get a location when your child arrives in one or exits one. Parents can also monitor overall usage like calls made or messages sent.
The number of trusted contacts—ones approved by the parents—is doubled to 20 on the Gizmo Watch 3. This way you can add siblings, parents, caregivers, and even grandparents or cousins as folks to call from the watch itself.
Let's Recap The Gizmo Watch 3
As a whole, the Gizmo Watch 3 adds in some nice new features that fans of this wearable for kids will enjoy. It makes the smartwatch more capable and a more full-featured wearable that’s appropriate and safe for kids. Verizon’s also maintained the safety features that parents expect here.
The Gizmo Watch 3 is available from Verizon from Jan. 5 for $149.99 at full cost or on a device payment plan. It’s a good option for getting your kids connected before they need a smartphone, and of course if you’re on Verizon as that’s a requirement.
If you’re not after these new features, but shopping for someone who is one with the “force,” the Gizmo Watch Disney Edition is worth a look. It’s a bit more expensive at $199.99 a month or $5.55 for 36 months on a payment plan, but tosses in some familiar faces from the Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, and Disney universes.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.
