A technology device that can be worn by consumer and often used to track information related to health, fitness , or other information– wearable tech– is establishing itself as evolving product category in India. E-tailers such as Amazon India, Flipkart and Snapdeal already have some wearable tech products available on their marketplace. But by this year end, consumers can expect to see some of them in stores.
Taiwan-based manufacturer of smartphones and tablets HTC will reportedly launch various wearable devices in India by the year end. Starting with a fitness device called Grip, which will come out in the US first and later in India.
“We are bullish about launching wearable devices and the gaming product. The first product is called Grip, a GPS-enabled fitness tracker. This is the first product of HTC’s partnership with the US-based Under Armour, which will be used to keep track of runs and other workouts,” Faisal Siddiqui, president, South Asia, HTC, was quoted as saying.
Other than HTC, 169 year-old iconic writing instruments brand, Cross is also set to enter the leather accessories market in India through its tech driven design.
Through aggressive product launches and retail expansion that would include its own branded stores, Cross is reportedly eyeing around Rs 90 crore ($15 million) in sales this year. No less than 150 different leathers products are being rolled out for India; spanning men’s wallets, belts, tablet and smartphone cases, laptop bags, briefcases, pen cases, women’s wallets, clutch purses and handbags.
Cross is entering the accessories market with its Grabado Tech+ wallet, winner of coveted Red dot design award. The wallet has feature like an anti-theft mechanism. It is encoded with a Bluetooth tracker and can easily sync with the owner’s cellphone. With Cross app, the wallet, If stolen, will transmit an alert to the owner’s phone and the app will show a map to track down the wallet.
“Cross is targeting executives, consultants, entrepreneurs and even the youth, would require sales outlets in not just metros but also tier I and II markets. The leather accessories would retail through modern retail chains, those with a network of more than 10 stores and shop in shops in departmental stores.” Yashovardhan Gupta, the JV’s director and CEO, Cross was quoted as saying.
Just like HTC’s Grip, Cross is also planning to come up with a fitness wallet to read calories burnt in a day and track other health cues.
While the demand for such wearable devices are much higher in the western countries, the market is very nascent in India. However, these retailers are hopeful for the momentum to pick up in India as well.
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