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We tested the Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch and found that it offered good value, but lacked premium features.
Updated October 8, 2024
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Smartwatches are the newest evolution in medical alert systems. They allow seniors to continue to live full, productive lives without having to worry about when and where a medical emergency might strike. As with any new piece of technology, though, you need to be careful where you invest your money. There are some great smartwatches out there that can both keep you safe and make your life more convenient. There are also plenty of companies out there just looking to make a quick buck on a new trend.
Bay Alarm Medical’s SOS Smartwatch is definitely one of the better options on the market. In our testing, we found it easy to use with a number of useful features. It comes with a simple interface, accurate GPS, and a quick response time in emergencies. All of this is coupled with a price that’s in range for virtually everyone.
Bay Alarm Medical smartwatch in box
Pro Tip: Check out our list of the best medical alert systems to compare Bay Alarm’s devices against some of the most well-known and trusted brands in the industry.
To be sure, the SOS comes with some downsides. Automatic fall protection costs extra, for instance, and this watch’s battery life is a bit shorter than some competitors’. Still, at $159, it’s at least $40 cheaper than most of those competitors. Reliability at this price is something we don’t come across a lot, and it’s the key reason why we recommend the SOS so highly.
Let’s be clear up front: The Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch is no Apple Watch. You can’t use it to pay at the pump, and it’s not going to trigger your phone to take pictures. To be fair, though, it has other, more important uses. The SOS’s primary function is to protect you in case of a medical emergency. In the event of an accident, the device immediately contacts the Bay Alarm monitoring center where monitors can summon help for you.
But unlike traditional home medical monitoring systems, the SOS Smartwatch keeps you protected while you’re on the go. Unlike pendants, the SOS is discreet. And while it won’t let you access Apple Music, it does come with some useful features apps, like GPS tracking and two-way audio communication.
Holding the Bay Alarm Medical smartwatch
Here’s how Bay Alarm’s Medical SOS Smartwatch compares to the company’s other products, SOS All-In-One 2 and SOS Mobile.
| SOS All-In-One 2 | SOS Mobile | SOS Smartwatch | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 72 hours | 6 days | 16 hours |
| Can be used at home | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GPS location tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi location tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fall detection | Yes (optional add-on) | Yes (optional add-on) | Yes (optional add-on) |
| Monthly fee | $49.95 (with fall detection)
$39.95 (standard) |
$39.95 (with fall detection)
$29.95 (standard) |
$44.95 (with fall detection)
$34.95 (standard) |
| One-time equipment fee | $129 | $79 | $159 |
The SOS Smartwatch is more expensive, at $159, than the SOS All-In-One 2, at $129, but it offers a lower monthly fee for the standard plan and fall detection plan.
The Bay Alarm SOS Smartwatch is also more affordable than Medical Guardian’s MGMove, which costs $199.95 (with a monthly fee of $39.95), and the UnaliWear Kanega Watch, which costs $299 (with a monthly fee of $69.95).
With a Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch, you can subscribe to two plans in addition to the standard pricing.
The SOS Smartwatch With Fall Detection plan is the most popular — and for good reason. Falls can be especially dangerous for seniors. With Fall Detection, you don’t have to worry about contacting anyone. Even if you can’t operate two-way talk – even if you’re entirely unconscious or unable to move – you know that help is on the way. Would we prefer Bay Alarm offer this service to all seniors for free? Of course. The fact is, though, that every medical alarm system charges extra for fall detection. In the end, we think it’s a worthwhile extra cost.
Pro Tip: If fall detection is a priority for you, check out our list of the best medical alert systems with fall detection to see how Bay Alarm stacks up against the competition.
The 360° Bundle costs $25 extra, but it comes with optional automatic fall detection as well as in-home protection. The plan offers several accessories, including a neck lanyard, a wearable button, and a wristband.
Holding extra pendant for Bay Alarm Medical home device
Here’s an overview of the add-on equipment Bay Alarm Medical offers.
| Add-on equipment | Cost | Features and functionality |
|---|---|---|
| SOS Smartwatch With Fall Detection | $44.95 per month |
|
| SOS Smartwatch 360° Bundle | $59.95 per month |
|
| Additional charger | $49 |
|
| Lock box | $30 |
|
| Vial of Life kit | $8 |
|
| Warranty plan | $2.95 per month |
|
We don’t want to give the impression that the SOS Smartwatch is a simple watch masquerading as a Smartwatch. In fact, let’s take a moment and review some of the best features of this device.
You do need to know, though, that this isn’t an Apple Watch. And even for a medical alert system, we think there are one or two features it could use, like an integrated caregiver app. Still, the SOS can do a lot more than just keep you safe, and if you’re looking for an Apple Watch… well, you should probably just buy an Apple Watch.
The Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch may not have as many accessories as other products, but it gave us a satisfying experience. Much like the watch itself, purchasing and setting up the watch was uncomplicated.
Holding the Bay Alarm Medical smartwatch
Purchasing the Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch was fairly easy. We were able to access Bay Alarm’s website on an iPhone, where the watch is on the homepage. All we had to do was select the Smartwatch and press “Buy Now.” The website featured a text-based messaging service so we could ask a rep questions about the device without having to call customer support.
Clicking “Buy Now” led to two additional steps. One allowed us to choose the service we wanted (the SOS Smartwatch was preselected) and the second let us pick from three packages (Standard, Fall Detection, and the 360° Bundle).
We selected the Fall Detection plan, and we were able to select one of the three billing options: monthly, quarterly, or annually. All three have the same monthly price, which surprised us. The quarterly plan comes with free shipping and the annual plan comes with a free month, but we’re used to getting discounts when we pay more up front. We liked that there were two wristband sizes to choose from. The standard size is for wrists up to 7 inches, and the large size is for wrists up to 8 inches.
Pro Tip: If the Bay Alarm Medical smartwatch doesn’t have you convinced, check out our review of the best medical alert systems worn as watches. Surprisingly, the Apple Watch landed on our list, but you’ll have to read the article to find out why.
We were then offered various accessories, including an additional charger, a lock box, and a Vial of Life kit. The next page asked us to sign up for a warranty for $2.95 a month. Finally, we were able to sign up and enter the information needed to make the purchase.
As we got closer to the checkout process, things got weird. Bay Alarm Medical advertises everywhere that shipping is free with certain plans, and the plan we chose should have granted us that. We weren’t able to make it work though. We tried contacting customer support, but we didn’t hear from them until it was too late.
To make matters worse, we could not figure out how to check out with all our devices. We had to order each one separately, which meant paying for shipping twice.
The cherry on top was waiting for our packages. Bay Alarm Medical estimates that shipping will take between four and six business days, but we didn’t get our devices for over a week.
Since we mentioned customer service, we should add that Bay Alarm Medical’s support is on the slow side. You can contact them by phone, email, and chat, but each method has specific office hours.
Pro Tip: Use our medical alert system buying guide to find out what you should look for in a device. It covers the features to consider, average cost breakdowns, company reviews, and what equipment is best.
If you work full time and can’t get a moment outside of your tasks, you may need to send an email and wait. We should note that the customer-support hours and experience are different from the 24/7 help the emergency call center offers. That was much better, in our opinion.
Upon arrival, the battery for the SOS Smartwatch was mostly charged, at 85 percent, so we were able to start setting it up right away.
Since we put in our medical information when buying the smartwatch, we didn’t need to re-enter it.
Upon putting on the watch, we instantly tested the response button. After holding the SOS button for five seconds, we had to wait for 16 seconds to get in contact with Bay Alarm Medical’s monitoring agents.
That response time is par for the course with most medical smartwatches, although the waiting period may be up to 50 seconds. That’s less than other medical smartwatches, such as UnaliWear, which has a waiting period of up to 66 seconds.
FYI: Most monitored on-the-go medical alert systems come with GPS. Read our review of the best medical alert systems that use GPS to pick the most accurate device on the market.
The fall-detection sensor also worked very efficiently. We tested it for a week, and it became more accurate over time.
The Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch currently does not come with an app for family members and caregivers to track you. The company’s website says that its team is working on an app, but the fact that it isn’t currently available is the device’s biggest flaw.
If you’re looking for a medical smartwatch on a budget, the Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch is a good choice. The device works exactly as advertised, but don’t expect much else from it. The fall detection was accurate during our testing, and the watch fit comfortably, never feeling too tight or loose.
The lack of apps outside of weather and steps leaves a bit to be desired, and the fact that Bay Alarm Medical hasn’t set up a tracking app for caregivers yet may steer you away. If you want to look for something more fashionable or from a name brand — and you don’t mind paying more to get more accessories — we recommend an Apple Watch.
If you have an older family member who doesn’t care about fancy tech and just needs an emergency system they can wear on their wrist, the SOS Smartwatch will do the trick.
Bay Alarm Medical is powered by 4G LTE cellular data. Depending on your area, the watch runs on either AT&T or Verizon.
That depends on what you’re looking for in a medical watch. The Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch has a simpler user interface and an easier learning curve. It’s also cheaper. The Medical Guardian smartwatch has more abilities for its wearers to play around with, including calendar alerts and messaging apps, and it has a tracking app that allows caregivers to track you.
After the up-front fee of $159, you’ll pay $34.95 a month to continue using Bay Alarm Medical’s services. If you want the trusty fall detection with your watch, you’ll have to pay an extra $10 a month. That isn’t bad, but we’d prefer it included with the monitoring fee.
No, Medicare usually doesn’t cover Bay Alarm Medical devices. Medicare generally doesn’t cover any medical alert systems, regardless of the company.
Yes, to a point. You probably wouldn’t want to take your SOS Smartwatch with you for a swim, but it offers protection from rainwater and you can use the device while showering, which is one of the times you need it most.
