ZTE, the Chinese handset maker that has been among the early developers of a smartwatch, has yet to decide when to launch the device commercially given low sales in the much hyped “wearables” sector.
中国手机生产商中兴通讯(ZTE)是较早开始开发智能手表的企业之一。鉴于受到热炒的“可穿戴设备”市场销量低迷,该公司尚未决定何时将智能手表产品投入市场。
In a sign that such technology has not reached mainstream acceptance, a senior ZTE executive admitted that sales in the market were still “not good”.
中兴的一名高管承认,市场上可穿戴设备的销量仍然“不尽乐观”。这一迹象表明,此类技术尚未被主流群体接受。
The ZTE smartwatch has already been shown off at trade shows such as CES and Mobile World Congress.
中兴开发的智能手表已在国际消费类电子产品展览会(CES)以及世界移动通信大会(Mobile World Congress)等商贸展会上亮过相了。
“The retailer feedback is still not good on sales – even Samsung is not selling [that well]”, said Kan Yulun, chief executive of ZTE’s devices business outside Asia and the US.
中兴亚洲与美国以外地区终端业务首席执行官阚玉伦表示:“零售商关于销量的反馈仍不尽如人意——就连三星(Samsung)也卖得不太好。”
Analysts at CCS Insight estimate that global sales of smartwatches will rise from 1.6m units in 2013 to 3.1m in 2014.
CCS Insight分析师估计,智能手表在全球范围内的销量将从2013年的160万只升至2014年的310万只。
ZTE is still in the “market exploration stage” of smartwatch production, including developing the hardware and software, which could mean a launch at a later stage.
中兴仍处于智能手表生产的“市场摸索阶段”,包括硬件和软件开发,这可能意味着该公司在进入到后期阶段时才会正式推出产品。
“Batteries [life] is still a major problem,” Mr Kan said.
阚玉伦称:“电池(续航时间)仍是一个主要问题。”
The wearables market has become the hottest area for smartphone makers seeing slowing sales in developed markets as innovation in handsets has stalled.
可穿戴设备市场现已成为智能手机生产商最热衷的领域;随着手机领域的创新陷入停滞,发达市场的智能手机销量增速已开始放缓。
Apple is developing its own smartwatch, which is expected to be launched this year, while Google focused on wearables in its most recent developer event.
苹果(Apple)正在开发自己的智能手表产品,预计将于今年投放市场;谷歌(Google)在最近一次开发者大会上,将关注重点放在了可穿戴设备上。
ZTE has a number of 4G smartphones lined up to launch this year as the Chinese group seeks to reverse a group net loss of Rmb2.84bn ($458m) in 2012.
中兴今年有多款4G智能手机排队等待投放市场,这家中国企业试图扭转2012年集团整体净亏损28.4亿元人民币(合4.58亿美元)的局面。
The company has separated its handset operations from its networks business to provide a clearer structure for each side to grow.
中兴将手机业务与网络设备业务分隔开来,以便给两方面的业务提供更加清晰的发展框架。
The company wants to increase its devices business by 50 per cent this year in volume sales – taking global shipments to 60m globally – with a revamped strategy focused on building a stronger consumer brand.
中兴改进后的商业策略致力于打造一个更加强大的消费品牌,该公司希望今年能够实现终端业务部门的销量增长50%——这将使其全球出货量达到6000万台。
Mr Kan added that the group would also focus on making phones using Google’s Android software rather than Windows-based devices, after Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia and low sales of the platform in many countries.
阚玉伦补充称,鉴于微软(Microsoft)收购了诺基亚(Nokia)手机业务而Windows Phone平台产品在很多国家销量低迷,中兴将重点生产搭载谷歌Android系统的手机,而非搭载Windows Phone系统的手机。
ZTE launched its first Windows smartphone in 2012. The company said that it had not ruled out making another Windows phone after this year.
中兴2012年推出了其首款Windows Phone系统智能手机。该公司表示,并不排除在今年之后生产又一款Windows Phone系统手机的可能性。
The Chinese group has mainly been a provider of devices for other companies to sell as their branded phones, which Mr Kan acknowledged meant that it had been left out of the market in direct retail sales.
中兴过去主要是作为其他公司的设备提供商,其他公司将其供应的终端作为自身的品牌手机产品销售。阚玉伦承认,这意味该公司被排除在了直接零售市场之外。
ZTE will now invest in creating a consumer brand based on providing affordable 4G-ready phones with comparable specifications to the high-end devices sold by companies such as Samsung.
中兴将大力投资,依靠提供价格实惠的4G手机产品打造一个消费品牌,在产品技术参数上将向三星等公司销售的高端终端看齐。
He added that the company would work on creating a brand image for ZTE around the world. “Even in China people think ZTE is an ‘old country’ provider of low-end phones,” he said, pointing to launches of more premium devices and the creation of a sub-brand called Nubia to correct this impression.
阚玉伦补充称,中兴将努力在世界各地为自身打造出一个品牌形象。他说:“即便在中国国内,人们也认为中兴是一个‘老土’的低端手机供应商。”他指出,该公司为了改变人们的这种印象,推出了更多高端手机产品,并树立了名为努比亚(Nubia)的子品牌。
“In Europe, no one knows us. We are like a new company.”
“在欧洲,没人知道我们。我们和一家新公司没什么两样。”