Wearable devices aim to get a grip(2)

Analysts believe Android Wear, an operating system designed by Google for smart watches and other wearables, will quickly increase its market share once it enters China. Most of the nation's hardware makers are using the Android system.

Google Inc must greatly improve its wearable platform over the coming years to better compete with Apple's new offerings. Wearable bands from all vendors are trying to deliver a clearer value to consumers beyond the existing capabilities of smartphones in order to lure buyers to buy an additional device.

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, a Shenzhen, Guangdong province-based telecom equipment maker, has released its very own wearable - a fitness-focused band called the Huawei Talkband B1. The company hopes the waterproof, dust-resistant device will attract buyers who love outdoor activities.

Its near field communication and Bluetooth capabilities also enable the band to be constantly connected with the smartphones the owner is using.

"Eventually, however, stronger smart band competitors to the Apple Watch will likely emerge and push smart band pricing down, threatening the basic bands. This market will undergo disruption similar to that suffered by feature phones when smartphone prices fell," said Chris Jones, vice-president and principal analyst of Canalys.

"The basic band vendors, such as Fitbit and Jawbone, will enjoy the advantages of their lower pricing for the immediate future," Jones said.

The first wearable that caught the world's attention was Google Glass, a conceptual product developed by online search provider Google. Because of the product's high price and slow pace in building application stores, a number of Chinese vendors are launching Google Glass opponents this year.

Baidu Inc, the world's largest Chinese-language search-engine provider, unveiled its very first wearable device in early September. Baidu Eye, similar to Google Glass, has a built-in camera that can recognize a number of products and provide item information via an earpiece or smartphone.

Although the hardware does not include a display like the one on Google Glass, Baidu obviously has high hopes to the device.

"This is like an extension of your eye, a third eye or second brain," said Gu Jiawei, the designer of Baidu Eye. "For our company, the shopping mall is the most attractive business scenario. Consumers will be able to see detailed product information and get online comments with the help of this gadget."