Angel Watch Review

The Angel Watch is absolutely bursting with features. It’s a kids GPS tracker, smartwatch, and fitness tracker rolled into one—and still manages to be more affordable than some of its competitors. After testing the Angel Watch hands-on, we can confirm that it works smoothly and is a worthwhile purchase.

The Angel Watch comes in two varieties: Series R (for kids) and Series R - Assist  (for older adults).

Each watch comes with a free SIM card from Red Pocket Mobile, which uses the same cellular network as AT&T. A Red Pocket Mobile subscription costs $10 per month, but you’re welcome to use a SIM card from another GSM cellular provider.

The Angel Watch connects to a 4G LTE cellular network to send messages and make phone calls. It also uses Wi-Fi for more accurate location tracking and to sync up with other Angel Watch users. But none of this means your kid can access the internet through the Angel Watch.

There’s no web browser, no social media, no dangerous apps, and no games apart from a timed math challenge.

With no games on the Angel Watch, your kid’s main entertainment comes from socializing with friends and family members. But before we dive into the watch’s communication nuances, we need to address some Angel Watch lingo.

Here are the permission levels for contacts:

• The Administrator (one) sets up the app account and maintains control of the Family Member contact list.
• Family Members (11) can see your child’s location and health status, become an SOS contact, and communicate through phone calls, text messages, and video calls.
• Angel Watch Friends (four) are other Angel Watch wearers your child syncs up with for watch-to-watch messaging.
• Cell phone contacts (10) can call and be called by the Angel Watch wearer.
• Line contacts (unlimited) can send messages and phone calls through the Line Lite app.

There are three different messaging platforms on the watch:

• Chat is just another name for group texts. Only Family Members can use Chat.
• Friends messaging means two Angel Watch Friends are messaging each other through their watches.
• Line Lite is a third-party app that anyone can join. Your child can send text, photo, video, and voices messages with an unlimited number of users through Line, but you set up those connections. It’s the only way computer users can communicate with the Angel Watch.

Here’s how kids can communicate with different levels of contacts and through the different messaging channels:

• Written texts: Kids can only send written texts through Line. They can receive written texts from Family Members through chat but must respond with a voice message.
• Voice texts: Kids can respond to written texts with voice texts. They can also receive voice texts from Family Members, Angel Watch Friends, and Line contacts.
• Video calls: Kids can video call with pre-approved Family Members who have the companion app and scan the watch’s QR code. They can also share videos with Line contacts.
• Voice calls: Kids receive voice calls from Family Members and cell phone contacts.

Picture texts: Kids can send photos to Family Members, Angel Watch Friends, and Line contacts.

The only people who can video call your child are the Family Member contacts. But there’s a catch: they have to scan the watch’s QR code with their phone to activate video calls.

This is an extra security measure to make sure no one can video call your child without permission. But it means long-distance family members can’t complete the setup process until the next get-together.

This issue isn’t unique to the Angel Watch—the TickTalk 4 requires the same setup for video calls.

The Angel Watch isn’t the only kids smartwatch or GPS tracker with discreet audio check-ins, but it’s the only one we know of that offers visual check-ins too.

By dialing the parent number, you’ll prompt the Angel Watch to automatically call you back. This lets you listen in on your child’s surroundings without distracting them.

If you’d prefer to see what’s happening, you can view remote images through the parent app too. 

Your kid only needs to press the Angel Watch’s SOS button for three seconds to trigger the emergency call cycle. This is much faster than other watches, which require their SOS buttons to be pressed for 5–10 seconds.

We also like that the Angel Watch calls three emergency contacts in a row. If the first person doesn’t pick up, the watch calls the next, and then the next. Then, it tries all three contacts a second time.

Most kids smartwatches don’t let you add 911 as an SOS contact, but the Angel Watch does. We love that—it’s a great backup in case the first two family contacts don’t pick up.

If you set up the SOS button this way, make sure you teach your kid about the dos and don’ts of calling 911. Some municipalities issue fines for false alarms.

The Angel Watch uses GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell tower positions (LBS) to show your child’s location in the parent app. The app also shows your location for reference. If you have more than Angel Watch-wearing kiddo, you’ll see all of them on the map at once.

We like that the map can be set to a normal, satellite, or traffic view.

You can also set up geofence alerts in the app to know when your child enters or leaves a safe area.

To see location history, make sure the app fetches location data automatically. If you check location manually (which helps preserve the watch’s battery life), the app can’t display historical data.

Depending on your area’s infrastructure, the Angel Watch might not have enough data to show an accurate location. We recommend verifying that you live in an area with AT&T coverage (since Red Pocket Mobile uses the same networks as AT&T). If you live in an area with only Verizon coverage, you may need to choose the Verizon Gizmo Watch 3 for a smoother experience.

If you’re still not sure if the Angel Watch will work in your area, test it during the 7-day free trial.

The Angel Watch is more powerful than it looks. Sensors rest against your child’s skin and record these health stats:

• Temperature
• Heart rate
• Blood pressure
• Blood oxygen
• Steps taken
• Distance covered
• Calories burned
• Sleep quality (number of times your child rolls over)

The Angel Watch user manual states that it’s not a medical device. In other words, take these measurements with a grain of salt. The watch shows trends over time, but it isn’t as precise as a clinical-grade blood pressure monitor or a thermometer, for example. 

During tests, the Angel Watch often read my body temperature lower than usual. I took several blood pressure readings and all remained in the normal range. The Angel Watch overestimated my step count quite a bit—doubling the count that other trackers usually give. 

Measurements are given in metric units, such as centimeters and kilograms. There’s no way to program the watch to inches and pounds.

The Angel Watch even includes fall detection, a feature normally reserved for senior medical alerts. If the watch senses a fall (sudden downward acceleration followed by no movement), it sends an alert to SOS contacts.

Even if your kiddo gets hurt and isn’t able to press the SOS button, you’ll know something happened. You can then call the phone, use the check-in features, and track their location to figure out your next move.

While it’s refreshing to see fall detection in a kid’s smartwatch, you should still preach the buddy system. Fall detection technology is never 100% accurate. It’s prone to false alarms and doesn’t detect “slow falls,” such as if your child leans on the wall and slides down to the floor.

The Angel Watch works worldwide. You’ll just need to activate a SIM card with a local provider that uses 4G/GSM/LTE cellular signals since the Red Pocket Mobile SIM card works only in the US.

The watch comes with at least 18 other language options:

We also love that the Angel Watch includes Google Translate. Kids use the watch camera to scan texts and see translations on the screen. It’s the perfect accessory for your next international family vacation.

The Angel Watch isn’t missing much, especially in terms of safety features. Here are a few fun tidbits that you can find on other kids smartwatches but not on the Angel Watch:

• Rear camera in addition to selfie camera
• Music and story streaming
• Talk to text
• Games
• To-do list

Finally, it was tough to navigate to a previous screen. At times I had to reboot the Angel Watch just to reset all the menus. Finally, I figured out that I had to swipe from bottom to top to go back to an earlier screen—but that didn't work most of the time. I did a lot of frustrated swiping while using the Angel Watch.

Angel Watch also sells a smartwatch for adults with dementia or other special needs. It offersincludes a few extra features that promote independent living:

• Fall detection
• Audio medication reminders
• Movement reminders (if you’ve been sitting too long)
• Larger text
• A leather wristband

It costs around $190—just $10 more than the original Angel Watch.

Since adults don’t (usually) have a class schedule, there’s no timetable feature on the Series R - Assist, but there’s a separate calendar app.

 All other critical features on the Series R kids watch remain on the Series R - Assist, so you can also track vital signs, make video calls, and keep an eye out for fall alerts and SOS calls.

If your loved one gets confused about where they are, you can see their location on the companion app and know exactly where to meet them. And if they need help fast, the SOS button calls emergency contacts.

Note that the Angel Watch Series R - Assist is not a professionally monitored medical alert device. If you need help, your family has to pick up the phone. Alternatively, you can set up 911 as an SOS contact.  

If you’re at risk for medical emergencies, we recommend professionally monitored devices for a faster response time. Plus, your health history is kept on file at the monitoring center, so emergency responders have critical information about how to care for you.

The Angel Watch sets a high standard for kids safety. It’s the only kids smartwatch with stealthy visual check-ins and health monitoring. Plus, it has the fastest SOS button and works worldwide.

We consider the Angel Watch one of the best kids smartwatches on the market. Still, you may want to consider another watch if you prefer games over health monitoring or if you need to prioritize durability and affordability.

Check out our top kids smartwatch picks if you’re still on the fence.

• AngelSense GPS Tracker Review
• Gabb Watch Review
• Little Tikes Tobi Robot Smartwatch Review
• Best Fitness Tracker for Seniors
• How to Keep Your Family Safe in Any Situation
• AngelSense vs Angel Watch