Call & message function
With Xplora X6 Play, your child can easily make and receive calls. Parents can put in place the contacts from which the child should be able to make and receive calls, providing a controlled and secure communication. You can also use the watch to communicate via the message function. Either you use preset responses that appear in the message box, or you can write your messages yourself. If the child wishes, you can read messages via a microphone function and send pictures. In the same way, parents can communicate with the child through the app. The notification function also provides you with notifications when the child leaves and arrives in their safe zone. You will also receive notifications about the battery levels of the watch in the notification function.
GPS tracking
One of the most prominent features of the Xplora X6 Play is its GPS tracking. Parents can use a dedicated app to follow their child's location in real time. This gives parents extra security and the ability to be aware of their child's whereabouts. Safe zones are set up and as soon as the child arrives or leaves a safe zone, the parent receives a notification on their mobile phone. This is a useful feature and we are pleased with the precision of the location information. When we performed our test, the watch showed the correct addresses and was very accurate. The app notifies that there is a location accuracy of +- 9 meters. A safety zone is preset at 300m and unfortunately it is not possible to choose a smaller zone.
Pedometer
The Xplora X6 Play also has a built-in pedometer that can help your child keep track of their physical activity. This encourages a healthy lifestyle and can be a fun feature. The child even collects coins by walking steps, which they can then redeem for various games and things in the app. For example, you can use your coins to buy a keyboard, X-box or dance mat. There are lots of auctions going on all the time where there is something for all children.
Security and privacy
Xplora X6 Play prioritizes the safety and privacy of children. Only the contacts that parents choose can contact your child, and the watch does not collect personal information about the child.
Design and quality
The design is simple and stylish. The clock has different designs. If you buy the color black, there is a bezel in green and a frame in pink that you can wear around the watch, it also comes with matching loops, which you attach the watch's strap to. The watch is also available in blue and pink colors. Where the whole ribbon is blue with the frame in light blue and the loops in light blue and for the pink variant, the ribbon is in pink with light pink details, the frame and the loop.
Like most GPS watches for kids, the watch itself is quite large and bulky unlike the Apple watch.
Installation and configuration
It came with few instructions regarding the installation in the box of the watch. Today we are used to instruction manuals of 50 pages in 10 different languages. But we then understood why, it doesn't take a lot of instructions to get started with the watch. Activating the watch, downloading the app and then setting the clock went smoothly and easily. The app is user-friendly, and easy to operate even for a less technical person. The same feeling we got for the watch when we scanned through the contents of the watch. Sure, it takes a while to understand what the icons mean, but most icons were speaking for what feature was hiding behind the icon. As an adult and parent, there can be something frustrating about the small screen. It is very small and the icons are the same, one's finger feels a bit clumsy and big and you easily click wrong when you scroll around. But nothing to attach so much importance to, we feel because the watch is aimed at children, with also smaller hands.
Xplora App
The watch is connected to an app that contains information about your usage in the watch, location information and communication takes place via the app. It also includes an activity platform Fun.Learning.Play. There you will find activities suitable for children of different ages and with different interests. Further down in the test you will find more detailed information about the different functions and activities you will be able to take part in in the activity platform Fun.Learning.Play. There are both physical challenges you can take part in called the adventure or get access to nice designs that you can download through the app and then print to fill out, in the part called coloring.
Xplora Coins
These are collected when you use the watch and are active. The more steps you take, the more coins you get and you can then use them to buy or unlock various perks, games or items in the app.
Adventure
This is a section where the child can participate in various activities linked to their pedometer in the watch. There you collect points by walking steps and then get Xplora coins. If you collect a lot of coins, at the end of the challenge you are in a raffle and have the opportunity to win nice prizes.
Auction
This is a part of the app where the user can participate in auctions with their Xplora coins and buy lots of different kinds of toys. A fun and exciting way to use your coins.
Arcade
Here, children can get access to play mini games, using their Xplora coins.
GoLearn & Discover and Learn
These sections of the app have the same content focused on learning and education, where children can access educational materials and by reading or watching videos. There are tips on baking, small experiments, music and exciting facts.
Dinosaurs
In one of the app, kids can learn facts about dinosaurs and their history.
eBooks
Here children can access various electronic books for reading and entertainment.
Podcasts
There are a lot of different podcast episodes with learning about different animals. Unfortunately, they are in English, which is a shame.
Video
A section where kids can watch lots of different videos with educational video content.
Coloring
With this function, children are allowed to choose from lots of nice designs and figures that they can then download to PDF and print.
Backgrounds
Here, children can buy new backgrounds for their Xplora coins to use in the watch.
Ringtones
The ability to buy ringtones for their Xplora coins to the call function on the watch.
The contents of the watch
The contents of the watch give a simple impression but playful. The icons in the watch are quite telling and you quickly learn what to press to get where you want. We experience some lag when scrolling between apps, so for the impatient it can feel frustrating. Your child can easily change the appearance of the screen himself. You can use the pre-set backgrounds and you can also buy apps through the Xplora Coins app.
GPS Tracking & Geofencing
The GPS tracking works well to follow their child's movements in real time and see where they are. The GPS was very accurate and matched well with the addresses we were at. Geofencing allows parents to set geographical areas or zones. If the child leaves or enters these areas, parents will be notified. The minimum possible zone is at 300meters.
Calls and messages
Only the contacts in the watch can be contacted by the child, making it easy for parents to keep track. You can easily add new contacts through the app as a parent.
School mode
Parents can activate school or silent mode on the watch to ensure that the child is not distracted by the clock during school hours or other important occasions. When this mode is enabled, the GPS watch works just like a regular watch. Parents can of course still see where the child is and receive notifications when the child arrives or leaves their safe zones.
Alarms
Parents can create alarms on the watch to help the child manage their daily routine and tasks. You can create 20 different alarms.
Emergency and SOS function
The watch has an SOS button that the child can use in case of immediate danger. One holds a button on the side of the watch to activate emergency functions. Then a box appears that this starts a call to SOS, and informs that you should release the button if you do not want to make an SOS call.
Is Xplora X6 Play affordable?
The price is in the upper price range of GPS watches for children. However, after testing the product and comparing it with others, we understand why it is slightly more expensive. The watch feels robust, has good content and has the features you want.
Summary
The Xplora X6 Play meets our expectations for a GPS watch for children. It is visually stylish and since the watch is available in several colors and you can add color through straps and frames, there is something for everyone. The Xplora X6 Play has experienced battery failure among the watches we have tested, but it still requires charging the watch every night for a day of active use. It would have been desirable that the battery life of this type of watch could still be improved, so that you do not have to charge it so often. It gets a big plus for its activity platform, especially the adventure part where you get Xplora coins by activating. If you are not interested in having access to the entire activity platform, you can adjust it by whichever subscription you choose for the watch. But some features of the activity platform come with both plans.
