中興研發推出智能手錶日程未定
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.
中國手機生產商中興通訊(ZTE)是較早開始開發智能手錶的企業之一。鑑於受到熱炒的“可穿戴設備”市場銷量低迷，該公司尚未決定何時將智能手錶產品投入市場。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”.
中興的一名高管承認，市場上可穿戴設備的銷量仍然“不盡樂觀”。這一跡象表明，此類技術尚未被主流羣體接受。The ZTE smartwatch has already been shown off at trade shows such as CES and Mobile World Congress.
中興開發的智能手錶已在國際消費類電子產品展覽會(CES)以及世界移動通信大會(Mobile World Congress)等商貿展會上亮過相了。
“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.
中興亞洲與美國以外地區終端業務首席執行官闞玉倫表示：“零售商關於銷量的反饋仍不盡如人意——就連三星(Samsung)也賣得不太好。”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分析師估計，智能手錶在全球範圍內的銷量將從2013年的160萬隻升至2014年的310萬隻。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.
中興仍處於智能手錶生產的“市場摸索階段”，包括硬件和軟件開發，這可能意味着該公司在進入到後期階段時纔會正式推出產品。“Batteries [life] is still a major problem,” Mr Kan said.
闞玉倫稱：“電池（續航時間）仍是一個主要問題。”The wearables market has become the hottest area for smartphone makers seeing slowing sales in developed markets as innovation in handsets has stalled.
可穿戴設備市場現已成爲智能手機生產商最熱衷的領域；隨着手機領域的創新陷入停滯，發達市場的智能手機銷量增速已開始放緩。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.
蘋果(Apple)正在開發自己的智能手錶產品，預計將於今年投放市場；谷歌(Google)在最近一次開發者大會上，將關注重點放在了可穿戴設備上。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.
中興今年有多款4G智能手機排隊等待投放市場，這家中國企業試圖扭轉2012年集團整體淨虧損28.4億元人民幣（合4.58億美元）的局面。The company has separated its handset operations from its networks business to provide a clearer structure for each side to grow.
中興將手機業務與網絡設備業務分隔開來，以便給兩方面的業務提供更加清晰的發展框架。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.
中興改進後的商業策略致力於打造一個更加強大的消費品牌，該公司希望今年能夠實現終端業務部門的銷量增長50%——這將使其全球出貨量達到6000萬臺。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.
闞玉倫補充稱，鑑於微軟(Microsoft)收購了諾基亞(Nokia)手機業務而Windows Phone平臺產品在很多國家銷量低迷，中興將重點生產搭載谷歌Android系統的手機，而非搭載Windows Phone系統的手機。ZTE launched its first Windows smartphone in 2012. The company said that it had not ruled out making another Windows phone after this year.
中興2012年推出了其首款Windows Phone系統智能手機。該公司表示，並不排除在今年之後生產又一款Windows Phone系統手機的可能性。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.
中興過去主要是作爲其他公司的設備提供商，其他公司將其供應的終端作爲自身的品牌手機產品銷售。闞玉倫承認，這意味該公司被排除在了直接零售市場之外。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.
中興將大力投資，依靠提供價格實惠的4G手機產品打造一個消費品牌，在產品技術參數上將向三星等公司銷售的高端終端看齊。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.
闞玉倫補充稱，中興將努力在世界各地爲自身打造出一個品牌形象。他說：“即便在中國國內，人們也認爲中興是一個‘老土’的低端手機供應商。”他指出，該公司爲了改變人們的這種印象，推出了更多高端手機產品，並樹立了名爲努比亞(Nubia)的子品牌。“In Europe, no one knows us. We are like a new company.”
“在歐洲，沒人知道我們。我們和一家新公司沒什麼兩樣。”
