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Intex Technologies has taken a leap into the wearable devices market with the launch of its new IRist smartwatch at the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai.
The IRist, unlike most other smartwatches, supports a SIM card and is capable of functioning as a standalone phone. It also has the ability to act as a companion to any Android smartphone through its iConnect feature.
The device, which was developed by Intex's in-house R&D teams based out of India and China, will cost ₹11,999 and will be available in August and initially sold only through online retailer eBay.
The IRist has a 1.56-inch screen made of Sapphire glass and is powered by a 1.2 dual-core processor and comes with 512 MB or RAM and 4 GB of storage space, which can be expanded up to 32 GB with a microSD card.
The watch also features a 5 MP camera and GPS, both rarities among smartwatches. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and the battery has a capacity of 600 mAh. In another major deviation from the smartwatch norm, Intex has chosen to run a standard implementation of Android 4.4.2 KitKat rather than the Android Wear OS built for devices of this nature. Intex has developed a voice-activated personal assistant that can be used to provide input to the device. A traditional on-screen keyboard is also available.
Will support Android appsAccording to Intex, the IRist will support most standard Android apps available in Google's Play Store.
Intex has stated that it has tested popular apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter and is working with third-party developers to produce apps specifically for the device.
Intex, which started manufacturing mobile devices in 2007, has emerged the second largest Indian smartphone maker in the last two quarters with a market share of 10.5 per cent, according to IDC.
“Through this platform we have established our brand as a global dimensional entity that believes in bringing best-in-class technology through its products,” said Keshav Bansal, Director of Intex Technologies.
The writer is in Shanghai at the invitation of Intex
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