Smartwatches have become incredibly popular in recent years, allowing users to stay connected, track health metrics, and more right from their wrist. Two of the most well-known smartwatch brands on the market are the GizmoWatch and Apple Watch.
But which one is right for you? This comprehensive guide examines the key differences between the GizmoWatch and Apple Watch to help you determine which smartwatch best meets your needs and preferences.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Feature | GizmoWatch | Apple Watch |
| Target User | Kids | Adults |
| Parental Controls | Robust features like location tracking, contacts management, safety zones | Limited, some restrictions can be set through paired iPhone |
| Emergency Features | Emergency calling, fall detection alerts | Emergency SOS, fall detection, irregular heart rhythm notification |
| Phone Calls & Messaging | Can call and text approved contacts | Make calls when paired to iPhone, can reply to messages |
| Apps & Capabilities | More limited app ecosystem, focused on communication, fitness, and entertainment apps suited for kids | Thousands of apps like social, news, health, games, control smart home devices and more |
| Durability | Designed for kids – more durable and impact-resistant | Still durable but not made for rough handling |
| Battery Life | Up to 2 days | Daily charging required |
| Price | $5+/month plus $150-$200 for device | $279 and up, additional costs for cellular |
Overview Of The GizmoWatch
The GizmoWatch is a smartwatch specifically designed for kids, with a focus on safety and communication features.
Here’s an overview of what it offers:
- Two-way Calling & Messaging: Kids can call and text approved contacts, like parents and grandparents. The watch has its own phone number and texting plan.
- GPS Tracking: Parents can view their child’s location in real-time and set up location alerts if they leave designated safe zones.
- Fitness Tracking: The watch tracks steps and active minutes to encourage kids to stay active.
- Fun Virtual Pets: Kids can adopt virtual pets and play games on the watch.
- Emergency Features: With one click kids can quickly call emergency contacts. The watch auto-alerts trusted contacts if it detects a fall.
The GizmoWatch requires a data plan, which starts at $5 per month for basic features. Additional services like voice calls are available for an added monthly fee. The watch itself costs between $150-200.
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Overview Of The Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is Apple’s popular smartwatch packed with health, communication, timekeeping and smart home control features.
Here are some of the key capabilities:
- Health & Fitness Tracking: Robust health tracking includes heart rate, sleep, steps, workouts and more. Has advanced safety detection for falls and irregular heart rhythm.
- Notifications: Get notifications from your iPhone on your wrist, like texts, calls, and app alerts. Respond right from the watch.
- Phone Calls: Make and receive calls directly on the Apple Watch when paired with your iPhone.
- Apps & Payments: Download apps on your watch, make payments with Apple Pay, control smart home devices, and more.
- Performance: Fast performance and a vibrant touchscreen. Comes in several case sizes and multiple band options.
The Apple Watch starts at $279 for the SE model and ranges up to $799 for the Series 7. Cellular connectivity costs extra.
Key Differences
Now that we’ve covered the basics of each smartwatch option, let’s compare some of the key differences between the GizmoWatch and Apple Watch:
- Target User: The GizmoWatch is designed specifically with kids in mind, while the Apple Watch is geared towards teens and adults.
- Safety Features: The GizmoWatch has more robust safety features like location tracking, emergency calling, and fall detection. The Apple Watch offers emergency SOS, fall detection, and irregular heart rhythm notifications.
- Phone Calls & Messaging: The GizmoWatch allows for two-way calling and messaging with parent-approved contacts. The Apple Watch can make calls and send messages when paired with your iPhone.
- Apps & Capabilities: The Apple Watch offers significantly more apps and features given its integration with the iOS ecosystem. The GizmoWatch focuses more on communication, fitness tracking, and entertainment.
- Battery Life: The GizmoWatch only needs charging every 2 days while the Apple Watch needs daily charging.
- Durability: The GizmoWatch is made specifically for kids, so it is more durable and impact-resistant. The Apple Watch is still durable but not made for rough handling.
- Price: GizmoWatch plans start at $5/month plus $150-$200 for the watch itself. Apple Watch pricing starts at $279 and goes up significantly for cellular and premium models.
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Gizmowatch Pros
So what are the standout benefits of the GizmoWatch compared to the Apple Watch?
- Parental Controls: The GizmoWatch allows parents to control contacts, locate the watch, set safety zones, and monitor screen time. Great for providing kids independence while maintaining oversight.
- Kid Friendly Design: With its smaller form, colorful bands, fun watch faces and games, the GizmoWatch provides a user experience designed specifically for kids.
- Emergency Features: Standout safety capabilities like emergency calling, auto-alert fall detection, and real-time location tracking provide peace of mind.
- Affordable Pricing: GizmoWatch plans start at just $5 per month, significantly more affordable than an Apple Watch for kids.
- Longer Battery Life: A GizmoWatch can go days without charging, while the Apple Watch needs charged daily. Less charging is more convenient.
Apple Watch Pros
The Apple Watch does have some standout advantages, especially for adult users:
- Robust App Platform: Thousands of apps are available for the Apple Watch, like social media, news, games, personalized watch faces and more. Far more capability than the GizmoWatch.
- More Advanced Health Tracking: The Apple Watch has ECG capability, blood oxygen monitoring, temperature sensing and other health features not offered by the GizmoWatch.
- Timekeeping Features: Greater timekeeping functionality like multiple time zones, alarms, stopwatch and timers.
- Smart Home Control: Control smart home devices, adjust thermostats, turn on lights and more right from your Apple Watch.
- Premium Design: More premium materials like stainless steel and titanium cases, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal screen, and bands made from high-quality leathers and metals.
- Cellular Connectivity: Apple Watch models are available with LTE cellular connectivity allowing you to use data on the go without your phone.
Which Is Better For Kids?
When it comes to choosing a smartwatch for kids, the GizmoWatch is typically the better option for a few key reasons:
- It has robust parental controls that allow parents to set limits around contacts, app usage, and location tracking – important for maintaining responsible oversight.
- The emergency features like emergency calling and fall detection provide an added layer of protection that parents will appreciate.
- The fun, kid-friendly design with games, virtual pets and emoji messaging make it more appealing and engaging for young kids.
- The affordable pricing means parents can get all the benefits of a smartwatch without the high cost commitment of an Apple Watch.
For kids under 12 years, the GizmoWatch is widely considered the smartest choice. The Apple Watch can be a good pick for tech-savvy teens who want a more advanced smartwatch and app experience.
Which Is Better For Adults?
For adult users, the Apple Watch is likely the better choice, for the following reasons:
- The expansive app ecosystem unlocks more capabilities – everything from fitness tracking, to social media, news, games, and more.
- Advanced health tracking features like ECG, blood oxygen sensing and temperature provide deeper health insight.
- Timekeeping functionality like multiple alarms and timers are useful for daily life.
- The ability to receive notifications and take calls on your wrist, even when your phone isn’t nearby, enhances connectivity.
- Smart home control from your wrist makes it easy to adjust connected devices in your living space.
- Premium design and bands make it a stylish accessory that can be dressed up or down.
For most adults who want a feature-packed smartwatch, the Apple Watch is the superior option and worth the higher investment. However, the GizmoWatch can also appeal to adults who want core fitness tracking and notifications at a more affordable price point.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The key differences are that the GizmoWatch is designed specifically for kids with a focus on parental controls, safety features, durability, and fun games/messaging. The Apple Watch is made for adults and has many more apps, health tracking capabilities, connectivity features and premium designs.
The GizmoWatch is ideal for kids between about 4-12 years old. The parental controls, durability, and kid-friendly design make it a great choice for elementary school aged kids. Once kids reach teen years, the Apple Watch becomes a better choice if they want a fully-featured smartwatch.
For parents of young kids, the GizmoWatch is often worth the investment. The ability to call and message your child, monitor their location, implement safety zones, and utilize emergency features provides valuable peace of mind.
For the kids, the fun games and virtual pets make it engaging. At $5-$10 per month, it can be affordable for many families.
Age 12 is when many kids start to outgrow the GizmoWatch in favor of a more advanced smartwatch. Once kids reach middle school age, they often want an experience that is closer to a smartphone – fuller app library, more connectivity, and a mature design.
The capabilities remain limited on the GizmoWatch, so around 12 years old, the Apple Watch becomes the better fit.
Also Read: Comparison Between Fossil Smartwatch And Apple Watch.
The Bottom Line
When comparing the GizmoWatch Vs. the Apple Watch, the main differences come down to the target user, safety and parental control features, capabilities, pricing, and overall design. For most users under 12 years old, the GizmoWatch is the best bet for a safe, affordable, and fun kids smartwatch.
For adults and teenagers wanting a wider range of apps, connectivity, health tracking, and premium design, the Apple Watch is hard to beat.
Ultimately, assess your priorities – factors like safety, budget, functionality and age appropriateness will determine which smartwatch option emerges as the right choice for you or your family. Both are leaders in their respective categories and deliver impressive wearable technology to your wrist.