Gwatch out for wearable gadgets

High-tech timepiece Gwatch was introduced to the market by Chinese startup iGeak on Monday. Photo: Courtesy of iGeak.

Feeling disappointed about not seeing Apple's iWatch come online during the recent trend-setting Worldwide Developers Conference, technology aficionados were instead left to settle on an introduction to Gwatch (GEAK Watch).

The four-year-old electronic products maker iGeak introduced the world's first smartwatch at a press conference in Beijing on Monday, when iGeak CEO Hu Xiaobin said that a smartwatch should be capable of functioning independently and connecting to the Internet without relying on the attachment of other devices like smartphones or tablets.

Installed with Bluetooth 4.2 and multiple sensors that can monitor users' temperature and blood pressure, Gwatch has a 1.5 inch panel above the Android 4.1 OS. Moreover, the device also supports NFC (near field communication), enabling users to transfer messages for free among each other without Internet connection, but only when standing very close to one another other, no more than a few centimeters apart.

The functions were displayed at the conference, but only via words and pictures, with the company selling users not only the actual watch, but the opportunity to try out the smartwatch for themselves at a cost of 1,999 yuan ($326). Pre-order sales open July 3.

But the "foreplay" tactic, which may have whet the appetites of consumers, does not ensure a good market reception, Liu Dalong, an industry analyst with iResearch told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The device simply presents almost all functions of a smartphone through a screen that is five times smaller, and therefore, people who prefer to view things through a bigger screen aren't going to take to it, said Liu.

Moreover, the uncompetitive price means that consumers will favor a smartphone instead, while the company's failure to reveal the product's battery power also hurts the smartwatch's prospects in the market, added Liu.

Established competitors

Even if iGeak can overcome these obstacles, it still has a tough road ahead as other established mainstream mobile device makers, such as Sony and Google, also have a toe into the trend-wearable technology, noted Liu.

Google Inc introduced wearable computer Google Glass in February, which remains in the testing stage at present. Its Chinese rival Baidu is also researching eyewear similar to Google Glass, dubbed "Baidu Eye", web magazine Engadget reported in April.

Meanwhile, earlier this year in January, Pebble Technology's CEO Eric Migicovsky announced delivery of its Pebble Watch and expected to ship 15,000 watches every week.

Japanese tech firm Sony launched its SmartWatch in 2012 and recently announced a new experimental project, making it possible for developers around the world to create alternative firmware or codes for its high-tech timepiece.

Wearable technology has also spread to the sportswear industry.

Nike released two smart sports shoes in 2012, combining Nike+ training system with Force Sensor, which allows users to transfer their exercise data into smartphones and tablets via WiFi and share the data on social network platforms.

Meanwhile, Google disclosed the concept of "Talking Shoe" in March, making it possible to listen to voice automated feedback to improve users' exercise routines.

Given all the competition, it's hard for Gwatch to stand out in the market without providing new or distinctive functions, said Liu.

Far cry away

Relatively new to the industry, wearable devices have not yet escaped the shadow of smartphones and as such work more as accessories than their own independent devices, Wang Xiaobin, CEO of Shenzhen-based wearable tech startup Yingqu Technology, told the Global Times.