Smartwatch baby monitor feature discovered in Samsung Galaxy S5

Galaxy Gear 2 smartwatch

It may not be an official function for the wearable technology, but parent bloggers have been using it.

The new flagship smartphone from Samsung, the Galaxy S5, has been receiving a considerable amount of attention from bloggers for a very surprising use: that it can double as a baby monitor when it is combined with the use of a Galaxy Gear smartwatch.

Though there are some drawbacks, for tech blogging parents, it has provided a very convenient option.

The primary disadvantage to this solution is that while the parent can wear the smartwatch, the actual smartphone, itself, would need to be left in the room with the baby, in order to provide the camera and/or microphone feature. Within the accessibility menu of the Galaxy S5, tech bloggers recently discovered that there is a feature that can double as a crying baby detector.

The feature uses the microphones in the smartphone to detect crying and then transmits a vibrating alert to the smartwatch.

Galaxy Gear 2 smartwatchPairing the Galaxy Gear wearable technology with that model of smartphone can provide a type of baby monitor that can be worn on the body. According to the menu for the feature, it works best when the smartphone is placed about a yard from the baby. It works best when it is placed in a room without any other noise.

This is important to note, because if there is a white noise machine or a lullaby playing, then these other sounds will reduce the smartphone’s ability to recognize the cry of the baby.

It is important to note that while this could potentially work, the combination of the smartwatch and the smartphone is nowhere near the quality and reliability of an actual baby monitor. Though it is interesting to be able to use these wearable devices as a kind of backup or additional supporting tech beyond the traditional baby monitor, it likely isn’t the best idea to use it as a replacement – if only because it means that the smartphone needs to be left in the baby’s room and therefore cannot be used by the parent. It is a cute idea, but not one that will likely take off.

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