A new children’s smartwatch from Xiaotiancai introduces a camera-first approach with dual cameras, 4G calling, and health sensors, pushing the category into smartphone-like territory in China and Asia.
Children’s smartwatches have become a sizeable category across China and parts of Asia, where parents often want a wearable that combines location tools, voice calling and basic health tracking in one device. According to ASCII, the latest entry from market leader Xiaotiancai, the Z12, pushes the category further into camera-first territory with a design that looks closer to a rugged mini-smartphone than a conventional watch.
The Z12 is built around a 1.78-inch low-reflection display intended to stay readable outdoors, and it carries dual cameras: a 20-megapixel front camera and a 32-megapixel rear camera. The company says the watch supports direct 4G calling through a nano SIM card, so children can contact parents or friends without relying on a paired phone. It also includes sensors for heart rate, blood oxygen and body temperature, along with motion tracking for activity and sleep monitoring.
One of the model’s defining features is its rotating crown, a control that Xiaotiancai uses not just for navigation but also for zoom adjustment. In a review published by China.com.cn, the crown was described as part of a “turn and twist” interaction designed to make photography faster and easier to handle on a small screen. The same source said the mechanism can also adjust volume during music playback and calls.
The physical design follows the chunky, highly recognisable look that has made Xiaotiancai’s children’s watches influential enough for rivals to imitate, ASCII reported. The body can be lifted and turned to improve the angle for front-camera calls or rear-camera shooting, while a magnetic charging connection lets the watch charge without being removed from the wrist. That mix of telephony, imaging and health features shows how far children’s wearables have moved beyond simple trackers and towards tightly controlled, connected devices with smartphone-like functions.
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