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Qualcomm Has Big Plans For Kids 4G Smartwatches

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Qualcomm is already a major player in the wearable tech field – with the Snapdragon Wear 2100 chip that is designed specifically for smartwatches (and features in no fewer than 10 models currently on sale in the market). But it is now focusing on one of the fastest growing areas within the wearables market – connected devices for children.

Over in Shanghai, at Mobile World Congress Asia, the silicon giant revealed the Snapdragon Wear 2500 platform – the first SoC targeted specifically for 4G connected kids watches.

Designed to work alongside an optimized version of Android O for kids, the Wear 2500 platform boasts extended battery lives for its watches (up to 14 percent more power), along with low-power tracking for parents. It also features Qualcomm’s fifth generation LTE modem so any devices packing it could, in theory, be used instead of smartphones for voice and data communication between parents and kids.

“If you look at the targeted kid watch and tracker segment the growth in these designed-for-kids but highly capable devices, is very exciting, and customers are seeing wide spread global demand,” said Qualcomm’s Anthony Murray.

“With this next generation Snapdragon Wear 2500 platform, we are supporting new performance and features that customers will be able to use to create even more fun features and compelling use cases for these connected 4G kid watches and with our dedicated kid watch platform we aim to deliver a robust foundation that supports a rich and engaging experience for children.”

Qualcomm is teaming up with Chinese smartphone giant Huawei – a company with a plethora of Android Wear smartwatches already on the market – as a lead customer for the new platform and a kids focused device is expected to launch in the coming months.

A recent CCS Insight report suggested exceptionally strong shipments of connected watches for children in the Chinese market. The analyst estimated 25 million were sold there in 2017 but warned that privacy concerns could stem the growth in the western world.

Qualcomm is already sending commercial Wear 2500 out now and has stated it is working with “a number of original design manufacturers on 4G kid watch designs”.

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