Practical Fitbit Ace LTE: A Nintendo-like smartwatch for kids

When Fitbit invited me to a demo of the Ace LTE, its new kids’ tracker, I wasn’t expecting much. Previous Ace trackers were stripped-down Fitbit bands that didn’t do much and lacked GPS. Other kids’ smartwatches tend to be boxy, glorified GPS trackers designed to appeal more to parents than kids. But Ace LTE? This is a smart watch for kids that looks really fun to wear. I wish there was something like this for adults.

The $229.95 Ace LTE has a square body reminiscent of the Fitbit Versa. The main difference is that the materials are more child-friendly. (Think plastic and Corning Gorilla Glass instead of sapphire glass and titanium.) There’s also an optional bumper for added durability. However, if you flip it over, the sensor array looks almost identical to that of the Pixel Watch 2. A nice bonus is that if you own a Pixel Watch 2, it uses the same charger.

The premise of Ace LTE is that exercise should be a form of gaming. In fact, it feels more like a game console strapped to your wrist than a traditional smartwatch. Instead of apps, the watch comes with plenty of video games preloaded. The concept is that instead of interval training, where you sprinkle chunks of high-intensity suffering into a workout, the Ace LTE uses interval sets. Once they have played a certain number of steps, children are encouraged to increase their number of steps to gain more play time.

There’s also an Eejie, a Tamagotchi-like buddy that lives in the Ace LTE. This too is a bit like Animal crossing in the sense that you can buy items, rooms, clothes and other accessories in the Eejie game. But instead of microtransactions using real money, you have to purchase these items using arcade tickets. These, in turn, can only be earned by progressing on daily objectives or playing games.

Each Ace LTE band is also a collector’s item. Once in place, a party unlocks new outfits for the Eejie, exclusive collectibles, and a themed noodle – the animated ring that represents your daily progress. Additional groups cost $35 and have their own themes. The idea is that kids can trade groups for items, much like us old-time nerds traded POG slammers and Pokémon cards.

I had to try two games: Smokey Lake And Poll 13. The first is a fishing game that reminded me of how we collect fish in Animal crossing Or Valley of Stars. This involves visualizing your virtual environment, reaching out to catch a fish and pulling it back to bring it back. Poll 13 was a Mario Kart-game where you play as a chicken running in a bathtub, collecting eggs to get powers. You run by tilting your arm and the goal is to beat your nemesis, Kim. (I don’t know what Kim did, but she ate my dust.) After playing a bit of both, I was asked to take about 500 steps so I could play more.

But gaming is only one aspect of Ace LTE. The other is to help children stay in touch with their parents. While previous Fitbit Ace devices didn’t have GPS tracking, this one has built-in LTE. This allows calling, messaging and location sharing. The bad news is that these features require a $9.99 monthly subscription or a $120 annual subscription to the Ace Pass data plan. The good news is that you don’t need to go through a carrier and a child doesn’t need their own phone either.

Everything is controlled via the Fitbit Ace companion app, which works on both iOS and Android. The app allows parents to set trusted contacts, send and receive messages, view their child’s location in real time, and monitor their child’s progress toward their activity goals. There is also a school time mode, which turns off games during school hours. Later this year, Fitbit says it will also add Tap to Pay.

Smartwatches for children always raise an additional question of privacy. Fitbit told me during the demo that only parents can access location data, which is deleted after 24 hours. Activity data is deleted after 35 days and will not be used for Google ads. The Ace LTE will also not include third-party apps or ads. Of course, that’s what Google, owner of Fitbit, says straight away. If you’re concerned about the fine print, concerned parents should also check the Fitbit Ace’s privacy policy.

We’ll have to test the Ace LTE to see how well it works, both as a way to encourage kids to move more and as a tool for parents. That said, this is a significant update to the Ace line and one of the most fun takes on a kids’ smartwatch we’ve seen in a while.

The Fitbit Ace LTE is available starting June 5 for $229.95, with an Ace Pass priced at $9.99 per month or $119.99 per year. Annual subscribers get an additional collection bundle, and those who purchase before August 31 will get 50% off the subscription price.