It’s another great example of our most advanced technologies trickling down to lower-cost gadgets for all new purposes. Video calling is now coming to kids smartwatches to parents can get peace of mind anywhere, any time by checking in on the kids.

TCL’s MOVETIME MT40 Smartwatch hits Australia following the success of their first watch for kids which launched in Australia under the Alcatel brand – but with TCL now here as a mobile player (the TCL PLEX launched recently)

The MT40 will be available at Big W and soon at Australia Post stores and offers the GPS tracking and alert features of any good kids smartwatch as well as phone calls and messaging to select contacts.

However the break-out feature of the MOVETIME this year is Video Calling.

Kids can now make a video call to their parents which all happens via the MOVETIME app on the parent’s smartphone.

These features seem like overkill to some parents of previous generations, but as Sam Skontos from TCL says, it’s what parents need today “The balance between wanting to protect their children while giving them the independence they often crave is a challenge many Australian families are going through. It is a conversation we have had in our own family,”

“While parents work through the right age for their children to have a mobile phone, the MOVETIME Family Watch provides a compelling option for parents wanting to stay connected and monitor their children’s movements at a distance, while being immediately available at the touch of a button if needed.”

Back view of playful children running in autumn day outdoors.

And don’t worry, your kids will not be distracted at school. “School time” means no notifications come through, but the watch can also help kids with reminders during their day – most importantly though, mum and dad know where they are.

$199 outright (already $189 at Big W), and unlocked from any specific network, you’ll need a mobile plan – something with a small amount of data will do the trick, or speak to your telco about a small add-on plan for your kids – you shouldn’t need to spend more than $15 a month to keep this one connected though.

Web: Big W