Chinese companies unveil new products at Mobile World Congress

[TaiShang]

Chinese companies unveil new products at Mobile World Congress
2015-3-3

Chinese companies, Huawei, ZTE and Lenovo have presented new products at the 2015 Mobile World Congress (MWC) from March 2 to 5.

Monday saw ZTE present the ZTE Grand S3, which has an eye recognition system to unblock it. This system, called Eyeprint ID, is integrated into the phone's camera and recognizes its user by looking at the veins and white spaces in their eye.

This new smartphone contains a 5.5-inch, fully-HD screen with a Snapdragon 801 processor and a 3GB RAM memory with 64 GB of internal memory.

LTE also presented the voice-operated ZTE Star 2, the Blade S6 and Spro 2, which is a smart projector with an Android operating system.

Huawei presented the Huawei Smartwatch and two more wearables: a wristband and a headset.

The CEO of Huawei's Consumer Business Group Richard Yu highlighted that the Android powered Smartwatch, which will be on sale in the "middle of the year," has a six-axis motion sensor and heart rate monitor as well as a round sapphire glass screen with a 286 pixels per inch display.

It was designed to look more like a classical watch, while rival products were "more like gadgets," he added.

The Smartwatch allows its wearer to receive and send e-mails and download applications. It has a 4 GB memory 512 MB of RAM and Bluetooth 4.1

The 2105 MWC also saw Huawei launch the Talkband B2, an update of the company's Talkband B1, which is a combined wristband/Bluetooth headset device, along with the Talkband N1 headset, which has 4GB of embedded storage, allowing wearers to carry around 1,000 songs with them as well as enjoy voice call facilities.

Huawei's MediaPad X2 is designed to succeed the X1 and is a 7-inch screen tablet with (long-term evolution) LTE connectivity, which can also be used to make voice calls. It hits the market in two versions, one with a 16GB memory and another with a capacity of 32 GB.

Lenovo presented two smartphones on Monday, along with the pocket Vibe Shot projector, which is a hybrid between a smartphone and camera, which possesses a 16 mega pixel camera able to take clear photos in low light.

The Lenovo smartphone has a 5-inch screen and Snapdragon processor working with the Android 5.0 Lollipop system with 32 GB memory, support for Dual SIM and 4G connectivity.

Meanwhile, the Lenovo A7000 is the first smartphone with Dolby Atmos technology to improve sound quality. It has a 5.5 inch HD screen and a thickness of 7.9 mm and at a price of 169 US dollars is aimed at the budget end of the market.

***

Could Chinese handset makers steal the show at MWC?
Tuesday, 24 Feb 2015 | 2:14 AM ETCNBC.com
Mobile World Congress is normally dominated by Samsung headlines, but this year, Chinese smartphone makers are angling to steal the limelight, reflecting a shift in the global market.

The rise of the Chinese smartphone maker has been rapid and in the fourth quarter of 2014, three domestic players - Huawei, Xiaomi and
Lenovo - were among top 5 vendors in the world, according to market research company IDC.

Xiaomi made a splash last year, knocking Samsung off the top spot in China, and seeing 178 percent year-on-year shipment growth in the final quarter of last year. Chinese companies have made a name for themselves by offering high-spec smartphones at low prices.

"We have moved past the Chinese companies being followers to being leaders," Michael O'Hara, chief marketing officer at MWC organizer GSMA, told CNBC by phone. He added that Chinese electronics giant Huawei has one of the biggest stands at the event.

'Under-represented'

Xiaomi
Major Chinese companies like Lenovo, Huawei and ZTE, are all set to make product announcements at the show in the hope that this will help them tap the European market. Lenovo will be there in more than one way after its $2.9 billion acquisition of Motorola's mobile phone unit last year.

However, industry-watchers say that despite a large presence in Barcelona, Chinese manufacturers are still "underrepresented" compared with their "importance in the handset market".

"Shipments are still going into the China domestic market and that is why they (Chinese smartphone makers) haven't ramped up MWC coverage," Ian Fogg, head of mobile at IHS, told CNBC by phone.

"But as they look overseas, we will see more China-based players making big announcements at MWC."

China is the world's largest smartphone market and Xiaomi sells over 90 percent of its devices there. But Chinese companies have hinted at European expansion, though this might not necessarily come through their own brands, analysts said. These companies could launch new brands to tap the European market.

Lenovo, for example, has Motorola under its wing, while a device called OnePlus, is part of the wider Chinese electronics company Oppo. The Alcatel One Touch smartphone, which is marketed at the low-end European market, is owned by China's TCL Communications.

"MWC will be an essential place to be for China's companies but they won't use the same brand internationally as they will in China," Fogg said.

As well as China's smartphone titans, other companies lesser known to Western audiences will also be hoping to make a name at the Barcelona showcase.

Gionee – the company that claims to make the world's thinnest smartphone – has a new device launch scheduled, while Meizu, the tiny device maker that Alibaba pumped $590 million dollars in will also be present.

China's smartphone market has been slowing in recent months, with the number of units sold in the fourth quarter remaining flat compared with the same time the year before, according to data from Gfk.

Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, said established players Xiaomi and Huawei have peaked, and it's the up and comers to keep an eye on.

"Xiaomi looks like it has peaked, Lenovo looks the same and are in a stage of facing off the competition. The best days of growth are behind them," Mawston told CNBC by phone.

"You are looking for the next wave of Chinese players coming up."

 

[StarCraft_ZT]

华为手表官方图赏：圆形表盘 三种配色_数码_腾讯网

Huawei Watch：想在国内上市不容易 | 雷锋网

Huawei Watch

 

[Keel]

These are the kind of watches which you wont feel shy from showing casually to the bigwigs who are sitting next to you in the boardroom

 

[JSCh]

Chinese devices winning over visitors at Barcelona mobile congress

English.news.cn 2015-03-04 02:28:43

BARCELONA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The devices presented by Chinese telecommunications companies, Huawei, ZTE and Leonvo at the ongoing Mobile World Congress here, have been given a great reception by the mobile industry experts attending the event from all over the globe.


"The devices are very professional," said Swiss visitor, Pier Cloor, who represents the company Altrum. Cloor made an interesting comparison between the current development of the mobile sector with the way Japanese and Korean car manufacturers began to dominate the car industry in the 1980s.

"Twenty years ago everyone was smiling at the cars coming from Asia and we realize that it is a very fast learning curve from Asian people in recognizing our needs and they bring us perfect products," he said.

Joanna Jones, who works as events director for TV Connect and the Apps World show, was especially taken by Huawei's smartwatch, which was showcased in Barcelona along with other 'wearables': a wristband, the Talkband B2 and the Talkband N1 headset.

"I love the look of the new watch. I think it's fantastic," she said, highlighting the device's design; "I think it's really unique in that it's the first wearable I've seen which captures the traditional look of a product, plus gives the functionality around the software they've implemented. It's very elegant."

Analyst Tim Couling was also strolling around Huawei's impressive display in Hall 2 of the MWC. "I'm struck by the depth of their product portfolio and also the look and feel of some of the devices is really improving."

"The Talkband, for example, is really a leap forward from the product we saw last year. Great work in terms of design and creating really attractive products at good prices."

ZTE meanwhile were not to be behind in Barcelona, presenting the voice operated ZTE Star 2, although their star product of the congress is perhaps the ZTE Grand S3, which has an eye recognition system to unblock it. This system, called Eyeprint ID, is integrated into the phone's camera and recognizes its user by looking at the veins and white spaces in their eye.

Ibrahim from Senegal, whose company actually works closely with Huawei in the ZTE booth, had "come to have a look at the opposition."

He told Xinhua that he really liked the entire ZTE presentation, especially the Smart Voice experience to showcase their voice-operated devices, although it was a smartphone which caught his eye. "I really like the Nubia," he said.

Last, but by no means least, Lenovo presented two smartphones: the Lenovo smartphone with a 5-inch screen and the Lenovo A7000, which is the first smartphone with Dolby Atmos technology to improve sound quality, with an affordable price of 169 U.S. dollars.

"Chinese products are very advanced...they are the future," Ibrahim said.

 

[xunzi]

These are the kind of watches which you wont feel shy from showing casually to the bigwigs who are sitting next to you in the boardroom

Finally, a smartwatch that you are not embarrass to wear and showoff to other people. Beautiful design and elegant.

How a Chinese smartwatch became the surprise hit of Mobile World Congress
Huawei hopes to shake up the wearable world with its new Watch

• By Sam Byford
  
• on March 3, 2015 11:28 am
  

Did you hear the one about the Chinese telecom giant that tried to turn into a hip watchmaker?

That’s been one of the more surprising stories to come out of this year’s Mobile World Congress. Huawei, a colossal company that makes most of its money on networking equipment and infrastructure, has launched its most overt play for consumers yet by unveiling its first smartwatch. The Huawei Watch is a circular device that looks closer to a traditional watch than the Moto 360, LG G Watch R, or any other Android Wear product to date. One week before Apple is set to reveal the final details of its own watch, Huawei has presented a very different vision informed by the principles of classical watch design.

The shift is notable for an enterprise-focused company with a name that most Westerners can barely pronounce. Although Huawei has spent the past few years attempting to build up its consumer presence, it hasn’t succeeded in penetrating key markets like the US. But that could change later this year, and the watch should play a key role in terms of getting people to take notice of the company.

“We’re trying to make Huawei a more fashionable brand,” says Richard Yu (pictured), CEO of Huawei’s consumer division. “We’re trying to change our image.” Yu says Huawei’s cachet is already ahead of Chinese competitors like Xiaomi, which he describes as an “ultra low-end” brand “for low-end people.” Despite Yu’s bluster, the odds are still stacked against Huawei, especially in the US. But the company is serious about this struggle.

Development of the Huawei Watch was led by Ben Norton, a watch designer that previously worked for Fossil in the US and in Switzerland on brands like Emporio Armani. "I had this opportunity to start designing smartwatches, and had a vision shared by many of my colleagues to have a smartwatch that was very much like a traditional watch," Norton says. "We just believe that the consumer wants an actual watch that feels like a watch."

YU SAYS SAMSUNG'S WATCHES ARE "UGLY" AND APPLE'S IS "OKAY"
Huawei is fully behind Norton’s vision. "Samsung already launched its watch, but the design was ugly and no one wanted to buy it," says Yu, who believes that the Huawei Watch’s focus on classicism and authenticity will set it apart. He says the Apple Watch design is "good, it’s okay, but I think their smartwatch design is not a traditional, classical one. Our design is differentiated from them. Many people love this style; people have a loyalty to the tradition."

I’m unconvinced by Huawei’s assumption that people want watches to remain a certain way forever. Watches are technology with a singular purpose; they are also jewelry. When I conducted my interviews with Yu and Norton, I was wearing a square Braun digital watch that does its job of telling time, being comfortable, and looking the way I want it to look. It’s free from the physical constrictions that watchmakers dealt with throughout the century before it was designed, which allows it to exist in the form I want it to. Resorting to conventional forms in the early days of smartwatches is understandable to help familiarize people with the concept, but in the long term I think such designs will prove to be overwrought visual metaphors rendered in steel.

So take this for what it’s worth: the Huawei Watch might not feel like a luxury watch, but it sure does feel like a watch. Describing it as "very minimalist and very clean" and "a watch that you could wear with a tuxedo or a t-shirt," Norton says that it’s aimed at "your typical consumer that would also wear CK or Armani or many other of those brands at the mid-level." That feels like the right approach for smartwatches at this stage. These are devices that will by necessity cost a few hundred dollars, but watches like the Moto 360 and Pebble Steel haven’t matched the level of quality you’d expect from a timepiece at that price point. While the Huawei Watch didn’t blow me away with its craftsmanship, it isn’t something I’d be embarrassed to wear. The stainless steel build and sapphire crystal face go a long way to making it feel like an actual timepiece.

"If it’s too cheap, no one will want to use it," says Yu, noting that the entry-level Apple Watch is made of aluminum. Pricing is yet to be announced, but both Yu and Norton indicate that it will be reasonable; the watch won’t be out until June, and Yu says he’ll be observing Apple’s sales with interest. The CEO also says the company would like to have a presence in traditional watch stores and is considering a model where the watch could be made of more expensive materials, like 18- or 24-karat gold, but feature upgradable components to avoid technical obsolescence.

Another important element is the watch’s size, which Norton says was a very specific and deliberate choice to broaden the potential consumer base. He settled on 42mm, which he calls "a typical size for a traditional watch" by brands from CK to Omega, but also notes that many women wear watches in the "boyfriend" size of around 38 to 42mm. Although a little on the thick side, it’s a much more universal and comfortable design than something like the Moto 360, which is around 46mm and — to my taste, at least — feels like strapping a CD to your wrist. The thin top ring on the Huawei Watch helps, too, allowing the display to dominate the watch’s small footprint.

reportedly shipped on just over 720,000 devices to date. The advent of the Apple Watch could well drive awareness of the category as a whole, just as the iPod, iPhone, and iPad did, but for now it’s far from clear that consumers want to buy into Google’s vision. And even compared to competing Android Wear OEMs like Samsung and Motorola, Huawei has its work cut out when it comes to raising brand awareness.

The most publicity Huawei has received in the US has been when various government officials have described the Chinese company’s equipment as a threat to national security, even though a probe reportedly found no evidence and a leak from Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA was, in fact, spying on Huawei in the other direction. Whether the allegations are true is almost beside the point — it’s difficult enough for Chinese companies to build a brand in the US even without innuendo surrounding them. But Huawei plans to plunge into the American smartphone market later this year and is leaning on Google to do so.

In the US, Huawei’s phones will come with stock Android free from the custom software it loads on its Chinese devices — a move designed to assuage fears about the company’s intentions. "In the US we have to do some compromise to avoid any concern," says Yu. "No excuse! If you have a problem you can check with Google. [American customers] trust Google so they can trust Huawei."

The Huawei Watch has turned heads, if nothing else, which could have a knock-on effect for the company’s phones. But even if Huawei’s efforts come to nothing, it’s notable that a company best known for routers and cell towers is even attempting to join the conversation around fashion and high-touch industrial design. Huawei would be one of the least likely US brand successes of all time, but as its Mobile World Congress presence shows, wearable technology is new enough to be anyone’s game.

 

[TaiShang]

Finally, a smartwatch that you are not embarrass to wear and showoff to other people. Beautiful design and elegant.

How a Chinese smartwatch became the surprise hit of Mobile World Congress
Huawei hopes to shake up the wearable world with its new Watch

• By Sam Byford
  
• on March 3, 2015 11:28 am

Did you hear the one about the Chinese telecom giant that tried to turn into a hip watchmaker?

That’s been one of the more surprising stories to come out of this year’s Mobile World Congress. Huawei, a colossal company that makes most of its money on networking equipment and infrastructure, has launched its most overt play for consumers yet by unveiling its first smartwatch. The Huawei Watch is a circular device that looks closer to a traditional watch than the Moto 360, LG G Watch R, or any other Android Wear product to date. One week before Apple is set to reveal the final details of its own watch, Huawei has presented a very different vision informed by the principles of classical watch design.

The shift is notable for an enterprise-focused company with a name that most Westerners can barely pronounce. Although Huawei has spent the past few years attempting to build up its consumer presence, it hasn’t succeeded in penetrating key markets like the US. But that could change later this year, and the watch should play a key role in terms of getting people to take notice of the company.

“We’re trying to make Huawei a more fashionable brand,” says Richard Yu (pictured), CEO of Huawei’s consumer division. “We’re trying to change our image.” Yu says Huawei’s cachet is already ahead of Chinese competitors like Xiaomi, which he describes as an “ultra low-end” brand “for low-end people.” Despite Yu’s bluster, the odds are still stacked against Huawei, especially in the US. But the company is serious about this struggle.

Development of the Huawei Watch was led by Ben Norton, a watch designer that previously worked for Fossil in the US and in Switzerland on brands like Emporio Armani. "I had this opportunity to start designing smartwatches, and had a vision shared by many of my colleagues to have a smartwatch that was very much like a traditional watch," Norton says. "We just believe that the consumer wants an actual watch that feels like a watch."

YU SAYS SAMSUNG'S WATCHES ARE "UGLY" AND APPLE'S IS "OKAY"
Huawei is fully behind Norton’s vision. "Samsung already launched its watch, but the design was ugly and no one wanted to buy it," says Yu, who believes that the Huawei Watch’s focus on classicism and authenticity will set it apart. He says the Apple Watch design is "good, it’s okay, but I think their smartwatch design is not a traditional, classical one. Our design is differentiated from them. Many people love this style; people have a loyalty to the tradition."

I’m unconvinced by Huawei’s assumption that people want watches to remain a certain way forever. Watches are technology with a singular purpose; they are also jewelry. When I conducted my interviews with Yu and Norton, I was wearing a square Braun digital watch that does its job of telling time, being comfortable, and looking the way I want it to look. It’s free from the physical constrictions that watchmakers dealt with throughout the century before it was designed, which allows it to exist in the form I want it to. Resorting to conventional forms in the early days of smartwatches is understandable to help familiarize people with the concept, but in the long term I think such designs will prove to be overwrought visual metaphors rendered in steel.

So take this for what it’s worth: the Huawei Watch might not feel like a luxury watch, but it sure does feel like a watch. Describing it as "very minimalist and very clean" and "a watch that you could wear with a tuxedo or a t-shirt," Norton says that it’s aimed at "your typical consumer that would also wear CK or Armani or many other of those brands at the mid-level." That feels like the right approach for smartwatches at this stage. These are devices that will by necessity cost a few hundred dollars, but watches like the Moto 360 and Pebble Steel haven’t matched the level of quality you’d expect from a timepiece at that price point. While the Huawei Watch didn’t blow me away with its craftsmanship, it isn’t something I’d be embarrassed to wear. The stainless steel build and sapphire crystal face go a long way to making it feel like an actual timepiece.

"If it’s too cheap, no one will want to use it," says Yu, noting that the entry-level Apple Watch is made of aluminum. Pricing is yet to be announced, but both Yu and Norton indicate that it will be reasonable; the watch won’t be out until June, and Yu says he’ll be observing Apple’s sales with interest. The CEO also says the company would like to have a presence in traditional watch stores and is considering a model where the watch could be made of more expensive materials, like 18- or 24-karat gold, but feature upgradable components to avoid technical obsolescence.

Another important element is the watch’s size, which Norton says was a very specific and deliberate choice to broaden the potential consumer base. He settled on 42mm, which he calls "a typical size for a traditional watch" by brands from CK to Omega, but also notes that many women wear watches in the "boyfriend" size of around 38 to 42mm. Although a little on the thick side, it’s a much more universal and comfortable design than something like the Moto 360, which is around 46mm and — to my taste, at least — feels like strapping a CD to your wrist. The thin top ring on the Huawei Watch helps, too, allowing the display to dominate the watch’s small footprint.

reportedly shipped on just over 720,000 devices to date. The advent of the Apple Watch could well drive awareness of the category as a whole, just as the iPod, iPhone, and iPad did, but for now it’s far from clear that consumers want to buy into Google’s vision. And even compared to competing Android Wear OEMs like Samsung and Motorola, Huawei has its work cut out when it comes to raising brand awareness.

The most publicity Huawei has received in the US has been when various government officials have described the Chinese company’s equipment as a threat to national security, even though a probe reportedly found no evidence and a leak from Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA was, in fact, spying on Huawei in the other direction. Whether the allegations are true is almost beside the point — it’s difficult enough for Chinese companies to build a brand in the US even without innuendo surrounding them. But Huawei plans to plunge into the American smartphone market later this year and is leaning on Google to do so.

In the US, Huawei’s phones will come with stock Android free from the custom software it loads on its Chinese devices — a move designed to assuage fears about the company’s intentions. "In the US we have to do some compromise to avoid any concern," says Yu. "No excuse! If you have a problem you can check with Google. [American customers] trust Google so they can trust Huawei."

The Huawei Watch has turned heads, if nothing else, which could have a knock-on effect for the company’s phones. But even if Huawei’s efforts come to nothing, it’s notable that a company best known for routers and cell towers is even attempting to join the conversation around fashion and high-touch industrial design. Huawei would be one of the least likely US brand successes of all time, but as its Mobile World Congress presence shows, wearable technology is new enough to be anyone’s game.

These are the kind of watches which you wont feel shy from showing casually to the bigwigs who are sitting next to you in the boardroom

I really loved the watch.

How a Chinese smartwatch became the surprise hit of Mobile World Congress

Huawei hopes to shake up the wearable world with its new Watch

• By Sam Byford
  
• March 3, 2015 11:28 am

Did you hear the one about the Chinese telecom giant that tried to turn into a hip watchmaker?

That’s been one of the more surprising stories to come out of this year’s Mobile World Congress. Huawei, a colossal company that makes most of its money on networking equipment and infrastructure, has launched its most overt play for consumers yet by unveiling its first smartwatch
The Huawei Watch is a circular device that looks closer to a traditional watch than the Moto 360, LG G Watch R, or any other Android Wear product to date. One week before Apple is set to reveal the final details of its own watch, Huawei has presented a very different vision informed by the principles of classical watch design.

The shift is notable for an enterprise-focused company with a name that most Westerners can barely pronounce. Although Huawei has spent the past few years attempting to build up its consumer presence, it hasn’t succeeded in penetrating key markets like the US. But that could change later this year, and the watch should play a key role in terms of getting people to take notice of the company.

“We’re trying to make Huawei a more fashionable brand,” says Richard Yu (pictured), CEO of Huawei’s consumer division. “We’re trying to change our image.” Yu says Huawei’s cachet is already ahead of Chinese competitors like Xiaomi, which he describes as an “ultra low-end” brand “for low-end people.” Despite Yu’s bluster, the odds are still stacked against Huawei, especially in the US. But the company is serious about this struggle.

Development of the Huawei Watch was led by Ben Norton, a watch designer that previously worked for Fossil in the US and in Switzerland on brands like Emporio Armani. "I had this opportunity to start designing smartwatches, and had a vision shared by many of my colleagues to have a smartwatch that was very much like a traditional watch," Norton says. "We just believe that the consumer wants an actual watch that feels like a watch."

reportedly shipped on just over 720,000 devices to date. The advent of the Apple Watch could well drive awareness of the category as a whole, just as the iPod, iPhone, and iPad did, but for now it’s far from clear that consumers want to buy into Google’s vision. And even compared to competing Android Wear OEMs like Samsung and Motorola, Huawei has its work cut out when it comes to raising brand awareness.

The most publicity Huawei has received in the US has been when various government officials have described the Chinese company’s equipment as a threat to national security, even though a probe reportedly found no evidence and a leak from Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA was, in fact, spying on Huawei in the other direction. Whether the allegations are true is almost beside the point — it’s difficult enough for Chinese companies to build a brand in the US even without innuendo surrounding them. But Huawei plans to plunge into the American smartphone market later this year and is leaning on Google to do so.

In the US, Huawei’s phones will come with stock Android free from the custom software it loads on its Chinese devices — a move designed to assuage fears about the company’s intentions. "In the US we have to do some compromise to avoid any concern," says Yu. "No excuse! If you have a problem you can check with Google. [American customers] trust Google so they can trust Huawei."

The Huawei Watch has turned heads, if nothing else, which could have a knock-on effect for the company’s phones. But even if Huawei’s efforts come to nothing, it’s notable that a company best known for routers and cell towers is even attempting to join the conversation around fashion and high-touch industrial design. Huawei would be one of the least likely US brand successes of all time, but as its Mobile World Congress presence shows, wearable technology is new enough to be anyone’s game.