Vodafone and Disney have partnered on a new smart watch designed for children.
The Neo watch is designed to better connect children with parents and guardians through calls, chats, an activity monitor and parental controls.
The watch integrates hardware designed by the Vodafone smart tech team and a software experience from designers at Vodafone and Disney.
A built-in forward-facing camera lets kids capture their daily adventures, while the activity tracker logs activity and sets a goal to encourage them to get on their feet.
The Vodafone Smart App gives parents approval of a circle of trusted contacts, managing screen time through ‘Quiet Mode’ and viewing the device’s location.
Young users can personalise their Neo by choosing their own ‘sidekick’ from a selection of Disney characters, including Minnie Mouse, Elsa, Buzz Lightyear, and Darth Vader.
The project to develop Neo is part of a creative collaboration between Vodafone and Disney, alongside world-renowned designer Yves Béhar and his team at fuseproject.
Neo is the latest product from a new range of Vodafone hardware, part of its Designed and Connected by Vodafone project.
Products are built on Vodafone’s IoT platform centrally and then deployed across multiple markets.
Lutfu Kitapci, Managing Director at London-based Vodafone Smart Tech said: “As a flagship product, Neo underlines Vodafone’s investment in the smart tech category. It demonstrates how we are building a platform that has the potential to drive significant value for the business, while also differentiating ourselves in this growing industry.
“By building products with clear use cases, all controlled in one Vodafone smart app, and distributing across multiple markets, we are able to develop consistent feature capabilities deployed across devices. ”
John Love, VP, Interactive Experiences at Disney Parks, Experiences and Products added: “We are thrilled to reimagine the possibilities for kids smartwatch experiences through this exciting collaboration in a rapidly growing category.
“By bringing cutting edge interactive design and technology together with beloved characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars, we have created a truly innovative experience for children.”