Fitbit Ace LTE, by Fitbit, will be one of the latest smart technologies revolutionising the way children think about physical activity. Launched on 29 May 2024, the Fitbit Ace LTE aims to meet the need for a healthy lifestyle driven by parental anxiety about their children’s habits, and childish energy for play. It is an innovation that will have a direct social, cultural and economic effect on how children view physical activity.
At the same time, it’s built on the foundation of perceiving the quotidian maintenance of the body as exciting and gamified adventure: as a form of play not work, using motion more as entertainment than labour. In line with this development of the mobile body, the FITBIT ACE LTE is charmingly loaded with apps designed to gamify children’s physical activity, featuring things like 3D games and a virtual friend called eejie that offers rewards for moving more. The step, the jump, the run are all converted into avatars and trophies, ‘step badges’ and points.
Even if the games and playable animals are the most obvious and attractive aspect of the product, the Ace LTE does not skimp on the basics. The device incorporates the regular suite of sensors we’ve come to expect from wearables – for movement, as well as heart rate and GPS – to not only track calorie burn and the amount of time spent moving, but also to ensure that the activity taking place is adequate workouts. But rather than dumping immature, complex onscreen data on its young users, it uses that information to measure progress, which can be rewarded in more approachable ways, such as achieving goals, earning levels, unlocking games, and feeding your eejie or virtual pet.
As much fun as it is safe, the FITBIT ACE LTE integrates the latest connectivity so that being fit isn’t the only benefit. It has real-time location tracking and the ability for your child to call or text contacts you approve of, all thanks to that embedded LTE.
To reflect a user experience that involves lots of movement and, at times, some punishment, Fitbit has made the Ace LTE tough: it’s crafted to be water-resistant and ultra-rugged, and ready for adventure at the playground as well as the pool. Personalisation features such as customisable bands, where different bands unlock different games and aspects of play, help to add personality to the device, and with it, a new sense of fun.
And at $229.99 and up, the FITBIT ACE LTE – priced similarly to the current Fitbit Versa 2 or Apple Watch series – demands more than just a one-time payment. For all its features, including LTE connections for calls and play, users will need to pay $9.99 monthly or $119.99 annually through Ace Pass, a subscription service. However, unlike signing up multiple cellular plans for kids, the monthly commitment might be worth it.
The choice to combine LTE with subscription-based service illustrates Fitbit’s desire to straddle a fine line between offering a fitness tool for kids with healthy-habit incentives while providing parents with that digital safety net they desire. The FITBIT ACE LTE syncs seamlessly with iOS and Android devices, and is a breeze to set up.
For years, Fitbit has been changing the way people think about health and fitness through technology. The Ace LTE takes this vision a step farther, aimed directly at the next generation. By combining the fun of play with key health and safety features, Fitbit is not just telling the time, it’s making every second matter for kids and their parents.
Overall, the FITBIT ACE LTE is more than just another gadget. It’s proof that we’re headed towards a day when family life can be not just easier but healthier – and more connected. By leveraging our intrinsic desire to challenge and help one another through play, by tracking and quantifying our best efforts, and by providing a safety net for our children’s wellbeing as they venture out into the world, the latest generation of the Ace does nothing less than broaden our horizons by helping us see fitness as a core part of family life.
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