As the debate around classrooms ban on mobile phones heats up, one Aussie tech company is promising parents its smartwatch can keep their kids safe — while disabling social media and internet distractions.

And the stockmarket-listed company’s shares are flying.

The NSW government is considering banning smartphones on school grounds while some experts believe mobile phone-related distraction is a key reason for Australia sliding down international student rankings.

That could be an opportunity for Adelaide-based MGM Wireless (ASX:MWR) which sells a children’s smartwatch called Spacetalk.

The watch allows two-way mobile communication and GPS tracking between parents and children without access to social media apps or unrestricted internet access.

It links up to a smartphone app called AllMyTribe which allows parents to control who their children contact and track where they are.

It also features a text messaging service, step-counter and a ‘Safe Zone’ that notifies parents if their children have left a designated area such as school or home.

Spacetalk was launched in October last year after four years of development and has exceeded sales targets by 150 per cent in the run up to Christmas.

The stock is up more than seven-fold since the end of last year (see table below). The shares are trading at about $3 each compared with the 40c they were fetching last November.

MGM Wireless shares (ASX:MWR) have more than doubled in the past month
MGM Wireless shares (ASX:MWR) have more than doubled in the past month

MGM Wireless initially expected to ship between 3,000 and 10,000 units per year, but upgraded that to between 120,000 and 180,000 units, such has been the interest in the product.

The company recently signed an online sales agreement with JB Hi-Fi, and Spacetalk has been independently verified by cyber security experts. It also meets all mandatory Australian regulatory compliance standards.

MGM issued a statement today quoting several customers.

Marketing messaging for MGM's Spacetalk watch.
Marketing messaging for MGM’s Spacetalk watch.

“The watch offers peace of mind knowing that my husband and I can track the location of our children at any time and call and message them,” said Kim Carrocci whose three children each wear a Spacetalk watch.

“What we love most about Spacetalk is that it has the same main call functions as a mobile phone without the unnecessary and distracting applications.”

 

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