The smartwatches bandwagon seems to one that almost every other manufacturer out there wants to jump on. Sony, Samsung and Qualcomm are just three of the big names that have already unveiled their smartwatches this year. Apple is expected to launch its iWatch next year. Chinese manufacturer ZTE wants in as well. Executive Vice President at ZTE, He Shiyou, tells Financial Times that the company plans on releasing multiple smartwatches next year, with the possibility of a launch “as early as the first quarter.” He also added that the company might also release smart eyeglasses in the future, essentially its very own Google Glass rival
ZTE is often ranked in the top five largest smartphone manufacturers in the world, it hovers between fourth and fifth place in different rankings. The Chinese manufacturer wants to break into the top three, Shiyou says that the next three years are “critical” for ZTE’s devices business and that there’s a “window of opportunity” to push it into the top three in terms of market share. ZTE is also going to manufacture Windows Phone devices once Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia is completed, possibly by the end of Q1, 2014. Shiyou also said that the company is open to an acquisition or merger to increase its market share, though he doesn’t name any companies.
Filed in . Read more about Wearable Tech and ZTE.