Started as a Bluetooth headset maker, Jawbone gradually expanded to sports products with its fitness wristband UP. At TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2014, TechNode got a chance to chat with Hosain Rahman, CEO and founder of Jawbone, on the company’s development in Chinese market.
Please tell us a bit about current development of Jawbone in China.
China is so far our second largest overseas market. We have set up offices in several Chinese cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Suzhou, and a customer service team has been established for the region. Jawbone also planned to put forward a Chinese name.
According to a report from Engadget, Baidu-backed Codoon SmartBand looks like Up in terms appearance. What’s your comment?
We did not know that. I will check it up.
What’s your view about intellectual property rights in China?
We attach great importance to the awareness of intellectual property right protection in selection of Chinese partners and distributors, who will be in charge of IP infringement issues in China.
Some customers complained that the first generation of Up is easy to break down. What’s your measures in improving the quality of the second generation product Up 24?
After receiving a lot of feedbacks from customers since the release of UP, we have redesigned our product and choose more durable materials. We are working hard to guarantee better quality for the new product.
What’s your opinion on various wrist wearables?
Wearable gadgets should not be classified according to which part of body they attached to. I consider smartwatch and smart wristband as two different things, although both of them are wearables for wrists. I classify wearable gadgets according to their functions. Fitness monitoring devices are now taking the form of wristbands, but they may be attached to other parts of body for the same function in the future.
What’s the company’s business focus in the future, still on Bluetooth handsets? Or shift to health monitoring devices?
Sorry, we don’t comment on operation questions.
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