(RNN) – It sometimes seems like kids have a limitless supply of energy. Now Fitbit will measure it.
The wearable technology company announced the launch of a kids’ version of its popular activity tracker on Tuesday. It will be called Fitbit Ace.
Fitbit’s wristbands measure, most notably, the number of steps a person takes in a day. They can also track other metrics such as heart rate and sleep time.
According to a press release, the new product will be designed for kids aged 8 and older. They will, like their adult counterparts, track steps, “active minutes” and sleep.
Parents will be able to control who their children connect with on the Fitbit app and will have to create accounts for those under 12.
Fitbit cited studies saying childhood obesity is on the rise and parents are concerned about their kids’ activity levels as a reason the kids’ version was necessary. The company’s release said 75 percent of parents said they are interested in using fitness trackers to encourage their children.
Some commentators and organizations, however, questioned the product’s utility. They contended it would encourage children to focus on numbers that don't necessarily correlate to the quality of an activity or self-defeatingly pressure them to keep up with peers.
Cuz it's never too early to start counting life instead of living it: "Fitbit's newest fitness tracker is just for kids" https://t.co/Rt1bR4phSM Lack of evidence these devices help adults, so why use them to suck the joy of activity from kids? cc @DrMJoyner @gibalam @mackinprof
— Timothy Caulfield (@CaulfieldTim) March 13, 2018
40-60% of elementary school girls are concerned about their weight or about becoming "too fat."
Children should feel free to move their bodies at their own pace, not to keep up with a @fitbit device and compete with their peers. #bodyimage #recovery https://t.co/sWbUwmOBiV
— NEDA (@NEDAstaff) March 13, 2018
The Fitbit Ace will hit the market at $99.95 and is available for presale online. The company said they would be in stores by the second quarter of this year.
Fitbit also announced plans for a smartwatch, the Versa, on Monday.
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