Vodafone has made the debut of the first wearable products for its “V by Vodafone” range of consumer IoT systems and products, originally launched in November, according Telecompaper. The group has introduced a new "V-SOS Band by Vodafone" emergency alert wrist band and a "V-Kids Watch by Vodafone" smartwatch. The V-SOS Band by Vodafone is aimed at people with mobility issues, to help them continue living independently and get assistance in an emergency situation. The in-built "V-Sim by Vodafone" will send a message to up to four designated contacts, such as family members. There is an SOS alert button which, when pressed for three seconds, will alert designated contacts. The wearer will see the band's lens colour change from amber to red to green once one of the designated contacts is on their way to help. The wearer can re-press the button to cancel the emergency at any time.
There is also a care co-ordination feature: contacts can call or message from within the "V-SOS Band by Vodafone" app to determine who will attend an emergency and to highlight when it is resolved. The band will in addition automatically alert the designated contacts if it detects a fall by the wearer. For this, the device uses an algorithm and a in-built accelerometer. Finally, the device provides user location using a combination of GPS and the mobile network.
The device is water resistant and saves on battery by alert for periods of inactivity. The 200 milliamp hour (mAh) battery will last for up to a month. The wearer can find out the level of charge by double tapping the band's screen. If the band has less than 20 percent of charge the user's designated contacts will also be notified. In terms of look, the device sports a 2.4x3.8 cm lens and fits a wrist 14-17 cm in circumference. It was designed by Vodafone's Design Studio and R&D laboratory in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The device will be available for purchase in Vodafone stores in selected markets, online and at independent stores.
The V-Kids Watch by Vodafone is a smartwatch for children and their parents. The device provides location monitoring and can send an alert when children leave a designated “safe zone” such as the home or school. The SOS alert is also on this phone. If the child holds down a button on the watch for 5 seconds, an SOS alert will be sent over the mobile network to their designated contacts. Kids will be able to message up to five designated people using voice messages and emojis. The phone can also issue reminders, as to when the child needs to return home, for example.
The smartwatch comes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8909W chipset with pre-installed games and a calculator. Parents can time moments when games and messaging are disabled. The device has a 450 mAH battery for up to 3 days, is 4.4x2.0cm and fits a wrist of 13.5-19.5 cm in circumference.
Activating "V by Vodafone" services for the two devices can be done by logging into the "V by Vodafone" app on a smartphone then scanning a QR code on the product packaging. Connected devices are then automatically detected and added to the network. To use the new products, customers will pay a one-off cost for each device plus a fixed-rate monthly subscription fee. For existing Vodafone mobile customers, the monthly subscription will be automatically added to their Vodafone bill.
