Note: Cross posted this to the Google Fi reddit for carrier specific advice as sometimes devices have differing compatibility with Fi's service vs a standard carrier.
We're currently looking at a smart watch in lieu of a phone for our 11 year old. We'll be using this on Google Fi.
I think I've finally gotten my head around the way many of these work with regards to the need to be associated with an online phone with a cell number / data plan.
Sanity check: I'm wondering if anyone could confirm if the options I've found below and the way I'm describing them are accurate? Thank you!
In case anyone has other options, our main requirements are that she be able to text and call contacts that we approve (via Family Link), and stream from her youtube music account. Advice is very much appreciated although we are firm that this be a watch and not a smartphone (parenting decision).
- Pixel 3 LTE or 4 LTE Must be setup from and associated with a phone and shares the phone number of that phone. If I were to set it up from my phone, she'd be receiving my text messages and vice versa. So we'd use an old phone, set up a data plan on Fi, and leave it plugged in at home after setting up the watch. This would have the advantage that we could easily read through text messages by picking up that phone.
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6/7/8 LTE Can have its own phone number and would not need to be associated with an existing phone. What I don't know: is it supported in this mode on Fi (IE as its own standalone device, with no reliance on an active phone or shared number)? (I realize this is carrier specific and may not be easily answered here, hence the crosspost) And does Family Link work as well on Galaxy watches?
Any help is greatly appreciated!