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| Google is working on a wearable device to improve teens |
Report: Google is working on a wearable device to improve teens' relationship with their phones
Three employees familiar with the project told BusinessInsider that Google is developing a new wearable device for teens as part of the Fitbit family of devices to attract the growing number of younger users who own wearables.
Two employees said the wearable device, dubbed "Project Eleven," which refers to an extraterrestrial person, is designed to help teens form healthy relationships with their phones and social media. One added: "The device may include security features that allow parents to call their children and know where they are in real time."
Anil Sabharwal, Fitbit's Vice President of Special Projects, is leading the development of Project Eleven. The wearable is expected to launch in 2024, but employees say the launch date and plans are subject to change.
Notably, Google is so far behind in the wearables space that it was reported in October that the company had shifted resources and teams to focus on developing the second generation Pixel Watch to catch up with Apple.
According to a report by the International Data Corporation (IDC), Apple will account for more than 30% of global wearable device shipments in 2021.
Apple smartwatches are quickly attracting many teens thanks to the features they offer, and as the New York Times reported last September, more and more parents in the US are buying Apple Watches for their children aged 5 years and over. Thanks to its functions, they can configure a watch from their phone for children who do not have their own iPhone.
According to a survey of teens conducted by financial institution Piper Sandler earlier this year, it appears that children and teens are becoming a growing segment of smartwatch users; 87% of respondents own an iPhone, 31% said they own an Apple Watch.
As such, Plan 11 could be an opportunity for Google to attract the growing number of young users who are likely to become Apple loyalists.
“The team has been testing versions of the device with and without a screen, and the wearable can have GPS and cellular connectivity, which means users can make and locate calls without a phone,” said a Google employee who helped develop Google, who is familiar. with the new device.
The next Fitbit device Google employees are talking about is the Fitbit Ace 3, a smartwatch for kids ages 6 to 12 designed to help them build healthy habits and increase physical activity, while also allowing parents to track their kids' activity levels and sleep duration. .
"Fitbit was working on a smartwatch for children and the elderly, but after Google acquired the company, its development was halted because it would provide cellular connectivity and include cameras, but the project faced many technical and logistical problems."
But Google's wearables, which help teens better relate to their phones and social media, will be available in 2024, and hopefully it will pay off when teens learn to balance their digital and real lives. On the rapid development and spread of social media platforms in recent years.