The Apple Watch is undoubtedly a must-have accessory for many people. Although children, as a general rule, do not have any type of iPhone, they can also use an Apple watch. In this article we tell you how it can be done and the implications that it entails.
General operation
As a general rule, it has always been made clear that to use an Apple Watch it is necessary to have an iPhone. This has ended up changing as of watchOS 7 with the inclusion of the ‘Family Setup’ feature. In general, any member of a family can use an Apple Watch without having to have an iPhone. This is especially designed for the smallest of the house who still do not have a mobile device. Obviously there will always be limitations when using the Apple Watch since the full experience can only be achieved with an iPhone.
The big question that may lie is… where are the performance settings made? From the iPhone from where the initial configuration has been made, which may be that of another family member such as the father or mother of this child, in the case of being in this situation.
Requirements to bear in mind
To make use of this function, a series of requirements must be met in terms of hardware and software. Specifically, you need to have one of these watches:
- Apple Watch Series 4.
- Apple Watch Series 5.
- Apple Watch Series 6.
- Apple Watch SE.
It is always recommended that you have an activated data plan to be able to enjoy all the features that this new feature offers. Obviously, if you don’t have a data plan, you won’t be able to make phone calls or follow up in real time, limiting yourself only to data on physical activity. In addition to these Apple Watch in particular, it is also required to have watchOS 7 or higher installed as well as an Apple ID of its own and another for the family member who will use the watch with two-factor authentication.
Settings on Apple Watch and iPhone
Once you meet the requirements that we have mentioned, you can go on to configure a clock for a family member without an iPhone. To do it you simply must follow these steps:
- Reset your Apple Watch and turn it on for initial setup.
- Place the watch near the iPhone and a message will appear to perform the initial setup. This is where you will see at the bottom the option ‘For a family member’ in order to start linking.
- Place the Apple Watch under the iPhone camera to perform a scan of the sphere that will appear.
- Set an unlock code.
- Choose a family member to whom the watch will be assigned. In this same configuration window you can add a new member if it is not there.
- If you want to authorize purchases and downloads to be made with the Apple Watch activate ‘Request purchase’.
- Set up Wi-Fi connection and mobile data if the watch is compatible.
- Activate location options.
- Configure class mode and shared contacts.
Without a doubt you have to make a small paragraph in the class mode. With this function you will be able to make the boy or girl can concentrate better during their school hours. In this way access to applications and notifications are blocked so that they can concentrate. And as with the iPhone, you can choose those contacts that can be put in contact with minors so that they are as limited as possible in order to protect.
What can be done with the Apple Watch?
Once the clock has been set, there are many things you can do. In the case that it is an LTE model, the user can receive calls, text messages and even send the location. In this way, anyone will be able to know where a boy or girl is at all times by monitoring, for example, the way from home to school to guarantee their safety.
In the event that this data connection is not available, the functions are much more limited. In no case can phone calls or messages be received unless you are connected to a WiFi network that enables the FaceTim option e. Mainly it will be possible to track the physical activity that is done or to make measurements of the heart rate although this is a function reserved for people over 13 years of age.
