ZTE’s first smartwatch will only work with its own phones when it launches next year

Though smartwatches may or may not be selling well, such market conditions aren’t stopping newcomers like Qualcomm and others from entering the game. Now, China’s ZTE has twill be launching its own model in the second quarter of 2014 with features similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Gear, but at a lower price.

When Samsung Electronics Co’s Galaxy Gear launch in early September created a hype around the potential market for smartwatches, it was certain that we would soon see cheaper versions from Chinese competitors. Now,  ZTE Corp., mainly known for its telecom equipment but also a smartphone maker, plans to launch a smartwatch in the second quarter of next year, according to Lu Qianhao, head of the Shenzhen-based company’s handset marketing strategy.