CHANGING THE GAME
WITH FAMILY SETUP
Alongside the announcement of new Apple
Watches, Apple confirmed Family Setup would
launch alongside watchOS 7, designed to bring
together communication, health, fitness, and
safety under one umbrella. Its aim is to allow
parents the opportunity to buy their kids an
Apple Watch without the need for an iPhone
and to monitor elderly relatives in the same
manner. For the first time ever, Apple Watch
can be set up from a parent’s iPhone, and kids
can connect with their friends and family over
iMessage, FaceTime Audio, access Memoji, and
monitor their fitness with personalized, kid-
friendly Activity goals and trackers.
The scheme means the entire family can benefit
from features like Emergency SOS, and Maps,
Siri, Alarms, and the App Store can be used
independently without the need for an iPhone.
Parents can monitor their children’s location
and contact them, ideal if you’re sending kids to
school or to an activity club, and want to check
in on them before they get home. Speaking
of the new feature, Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief
operating officer, said: “For family members who
do not have an iPhone, Apple Watch offers a
remarkable set of features that can help them
keep in touch with loved ones, be more active,
and stay safe. With Family Setup, we’re thrilled
to extend these features to the entire family, so
everyone can gain more independence and live
a healthier life.”
What’s particularly interesting is that both
children and older family members will receive
their own phone number when setting up