When you have young kids, you might want a way to touch base without the risks that come with having a cellphone—and a smartwatch seems to strike that balance. Following its launch earlier this year, the Fitbit Ace LTE just announced some new features to help families communicate, while still leaving control in the hands of parents.
Fitbit Ace LTE Is Adding More Ways for Kids to Communicate
Designed for kids ages 7+,Google’s Fitbit Ace LTEwas first released in May 2024 with key features like location tracking, family calling, and play-focused exercise motivation. Now, the kid-friendly smartwatch has expanded its family communication, adding features such as family group chats. With group chats, everyone can be on the same page about everything from soccer practice pickups to how many tacos to pick up for lunch.
Kids can communicate directly via their Fitbit Ace LTE watches, while parents can use the companion Ace app on their mobile devices. To get connected, you need an Ace Pass plan, priced at $10/month or $110/year.
In addition to family group chats, the Fibit Ace LTE now permits sibling-to-sibling communication, which allows siblings to text or call without parental monitoring.
According toGoogle’s blog postannouncing the features, the sibling connection can be useful in scenarios when “they want to chat amongst themselves, like if they’re brainstorming the perfect gift for mom or dad.” While you might hope this is why your kids are talking, they’re more likely plotting their revenge for last night’s lack of dessert—that is, if they’re not lobbing insults at one another.
Parents Still Have the Reins
Even with this update, Fitbit is still toeing the line between opening and controlling communication channels. Although siblings will now be able to talk to each other one-on-one, kids are still not able to reach out to other numbers beyond their guardians' trusted family contacts that they’ve set up via Google Family.
According to Google’s blog announcement, “from now through August 01, 2025, if you’re buying for siblings you’ll get 50% off your second Ace Pass annual plan.”
Fitbit’s Fun Features for Kids
In conjunction with the new family chat options, Fitbit is also introducing Family Quests, which allow family members to work towards activity goals together. This includes holiday-themed quests, such as Turkey Berserkey, which rewards your family’s steps with Thanksgiving prizes.
Hitting quest goals will earn kids “tickets,” which they can use with a little digital pet called an Eejie. Generally, the more kids integrate movement into their day, the better their Eejie does. Kids can connect to others' Eejies in a digital space known as “Bit Valley.” However, while kids can add others beyond their family unit in Bit Valley, they cannot open chats with other kids on this platform.
Modern technology presents many new challenges for parents, who just want to keep their kids from growing up too quickly. Tech companies have made efforts to help parents in this regard, such asGoogle’s digital wallet features to help manage kids' spending, andMeta adding photo sharing restrictionsto protect teens from exploitation.
In the case of the Fitbit Ace LTE, the latest update might mean lifting restrictions, but the smartwatch is still one of the safest andbest smartwatch options for kidswho might not be ready for a smartphone. Because while you won’t be able to control them forever, you don’t have to throw your kids (and yourself) into the deep end all at once.
