myFirst Fone S4

This review focuses specifically on the watch itself, the product performance, and the overall purchase and return experience. I have already shared a separate review covering the app experience. I purchased this watch with high hopes, as it appeared to be a better option than other similar products available in Australia. To start with the positives, the customer service team was generally responsive, usually replying within a few hours or at most a day. They were polite and reasonably helpful, at least until I requested a refund. After that, communication noticeably slowed down.

Out of the box, the watch looked and felt high quality and well built. Unfortunately, that was where the positives largely ended.

The biggest issue was the battery performance. On the first day, the battery dropped from 100% to 0% in about an hour after turning it on. I was told that “it is normal for the S4 to experience higher battery consumption when it is turned on for the first time,” whatever that means. Even after that initial use, the battery life remained very poor. Over 4–5 days of testing, a full charge lasted only about 7–8 hours while the watch was simply sitting idle on a shelf. On one occasion, after shutting down overnight due to a flat battery, it used about 25% over a 12-hour period while not being used at all. I’m not sure whether we received a defective unit, whether they are all like this, or if there is a software issue.

The charger is another frustration. Despite having a large, chunky connector, the magnet is surprisingly weak. It disconnects easily, which resulted in the watch being left uncharged multiple times.

The biggest disappointment, however, relates to what is marketed as one of the watch’s key advantages, the eSIM feature.

The eSIM provides no real benefit and, in fact, introduces several disadvantages. On the eSIM model, calls and texts can only be made through the app, and the recipient must also have internet access and rely on the same app. There is no option to make standard calls or send SMS the traditional way. Although the watch appears to have this capability, the provided eSIM plan is data-only, meaning you do not receive a phone number, unlike competitors or even this brand’s non-eSIM models.

You are also locked into using their MyFirst app subscription and cannot use another provider. With the eSIM version, only a monthly subscription is available, whereas the physical SIM version offers a yearly plan that is considerably cheaper.

We had the watch for about a week before initiating the return. During that time, I also noticed that the location tracking was inconsistent. Sometimes it updated instantly, other times it would not refresh at all no matter how many times I tried. We live in a metropolitan area with excellent coverage, so this appears to be a device or app issue rather than a network problem.

The return process was also disappointing. The company advertises a 30-day return policy, and I requested a return within the first week of delivery. The policy states that the customer must cover return shipping but does not clearly specify the cost. I was quoted 50 SGD, roughly 55 AUD, for return shipping, even though it cost me only 35 AUD via Australia Post. After they received the watch, the refund process was slow, and when the refund was finally issued, it was not for the full amount, with no explanation provided.

For clarity, the watch was returned in brand new condition with all original items included.

Overall, while the product looks good on the surface, the battery life, eSIM limitations, unreliable tracking, and poor return experience make it very difficult to recommend.