Background: XIAOMI series watches are selling very well in Vietnam, and recently the XIAOMI COLOR 2 smartwatch has been frequently talked about in Vietnam’s local social media. And this model has become the best seller in MWG stores(The largest electronics chain retailer in Vietnam ). Seeing this momentum, MWG wants to produce a watch similar to the COLOR 2 by OEM as a new product under its own smartwatch brand BEFIT. The watch is positioned as an outdoor style, sports style, and mid-range smartwatch.

After communicating with the MWG client in Vietnam, they made the following requests.

Customer’s requirements for the product: 

1. similar to XIAOMI Color 2, Be consistent in appearance but not identical.

2. Positioned as a new product with a low price

3. The new product launch is scheduled for mid-June,

with a relatively tight delivery schedule.

Exported Countries: Vietnam

Product: BEFIT S1 Smartwatch

Quantity: 5000 sets

Budget: $24

Quality requirements: high budget Tightness: Tight

Time urgency: relatively tight

Difficulty level: High

We did a solution comparison with a long-term partner smartwatch factory in the company’s suppliers pool and sourcing another smartwatch factory which OEMs HUAWEI watches separately. Then we held an emergency meeting jointly with the solution development company to dissect the client’s requirements and budget.

Shenzhen *** Intelligent Wear Co.

Shenzhen *** Technology Co.

After discussing with the factory and communicating details with the customer, the team met to discuss and analyze the situation and identified several challenges that needed to be addressed.

First, The conflict between time urgency and product complexity

Because the time budget given by the client was very tight, we agreed that if we made almost identical watches, we would need to break the mould to complete it. However, the development of a kind of watch is very costly in terms of time and expense, with a time budget of at least 7~8 weeks and a cost of up to 5000USD or more.

Considering all the factors, we suggested the customer choose a watch with similar appearance to color 2 from our existing products in our product library. And we will achieve the client’s goal by modifying this watch. We proposed all the items that could be completed within the current time budget, and made a comparison table of the parameters of the two modified products for the customer’s reference.

The revision plan took the cost and time cost into account in order to obtain a relatively satisfactory result with minimum cost. And the revision work was officially started after the client’s approval of the revision plan.

Second, Modifications to the appearance of the watch

Reason: In order to keep the appearance as similar as possible to that of the color 2 product, we needed to make changes to the appearance of the product.

1. Modifications of the zinc alloy center frame

Issue: By comparing the two watches (Color 2 and S1), the client felt that the width of the zinc alloy kit on the S1 product was too large, so much so that it affected the overall screen-to-body ratio of the watch. The angle of the original zinc alloy mid-frame projection was too sharp and the first view of the watch lacked a soft and high-end look.

Solutions: We decided to re-mould the zinc alloy centre frame according to the ideas presented by the client, as it was not possible to modify the size of the centre frame (which needed to fit the watch caseback). Our ideas were as follows.

• To replace the original right angle of the front and side of the centre frame with a slightly curved design with a curved edge, and to indent the upper bezel by 0.8 mm.
• At the decorative groove that protrudes from the contact surface between the screen and the zinc alloy parts, we made a design with a gentle raised slope according to the color 2 design, and replaced the decorative right angle concave ring with a curved concave ring.

The gently sloping decorative groove, the curved design of the bezel and the reduced width of the center frame allow the visual focus to be more towards the screen. The screen-to-body ratio is increased with a sloping indentation on both sides.

The gently sloping decorative groove, the curved design of the bezel, and the reduced width of the center frame allow the visual focus to be more towards the screen. The screen-to-body ratio is increased with a sloping indentation on both sides.

2. Modifications of the watch case

Issue: The original back of the product was plastic, with a strong sense of plastic and a poor surface smoothness and texture. The client wanted to refer to the IML process for the iwatch case. However, as the current heart rate lens and plastic case are separate parts, the IML process requires the heart rate lens to be integrated into the case. In terms of cost, the moulding cost would be around $3000USD and the cost of the process would increase by 0.5USD per piece and the delivery time would increase by 10~15 days.

Solution: The client’s intention was to make the watch case smooth and textured, away from the plastic feel. In view of the time and cost constraints, we suggested the client the use of an oil spraying process. We used a double combination of cross-linked paints, with a colour coat of 10 or more and a hardness of 3 to 4H. This ensured the gloss of the case after painting, but also made the paint hard and less likely to come off. Compared with the IML process, the visual effect is actually slightly less impressive, but the advantages are the cost and convenience.

3. Modification of the watch strap

The thickness of the original strap is thin and the watch tends to shift in position during actual wear due to hand movements.

Solution: The watch strap was under mould-breaking process to follow the style of the color 2 watch strap, and apart from the slight differences in detail, the smoothness of the hand, the comfort of the wearer, the choice of raw materials and the surface treatment of the stainless steel buckle were all made identical.

black version is the mold-breaking strap, and the blue version is the original.

Third. Refinement of watch functions

1. Language customization

In order to meet the local market demand in Vietnam, we had to customize the Vietnamese language. We extracted all the language packages of the app and watch that needed to be changed, translated all the files using Google and then sent them to the Vietnamese client for review and correction of any incorrect translations. After receiving the correct translation, we started to add and upgrade the language of the app, set the watch to Vietnamese as the default language and burned it into the motherboard.

2. Heart rate function upgrade

The original heart rate IC used in the watch is HS3330, which is an older model and is generally used mostly in the lower end series of smartwatches, which are less perfect. The principle is to emit green light into the blood vessels, reflect the green light back to the data and calculate the heart rate at the time through a certain algorithm. So it is also called “green light blood oxygen”. These older ICs have the following drawbacks:

• They do not support continuous heart rate measurement, but can only be measured manually by clicking or timing, so the feedback data is also transient and not very meaningful for continuous analysis of heart rate changes.
• They lack a skin colour test, do not support the detection of black people, and the measurement of blood oxygen in people with hairy limbs.
• As long as there is a green light returning data, the value can be obtained, which means that even if the watch is not worn and placed flat on a table, the heart rate data will be obtained “on the table”. This also leads to consumers mistakenly believing that the heart rate value is a false value without knowing how it works.

Solution: Replaced the HS3330 with the VC31 series of heart rate ICs, known as “Red Light Oximetry”. Compared to the HS3330, the VC series are relatively high end and fully functional.

• The VC series include a skin colour test function, which supports black people and people with hairy hands, enabling accurate detection.
• This series supports continuous heart rate measurement, which can be done without interruption after wearing it. Especially during exercise, it is able to alarm for one’s heart rate at any time and regulate the exercise rhythm reasonably well, enabling precise feedback on the process of heart rate change.
• It can be used with the watch sensor to detect the normality of the watch being worn and to sensitively detect when it is being worn or taken off the wrist. It ensures that no values come out when it is not worn.
• Its power consumption has been significantly optimized compared to the HS3330 series, and the watch lasts longer.

This solution replaces the heart rate function from a “fake” heart rate to a more accurate and longer-lasting heart rate. This is to address the potential for complaints from consumers in shops regarding heart rate values.

3. Addition of sports modes

Consumers who like to buy the S1 which includes 12 sports modes must be picky when it comes to sports. As a fashionable and sporty watch and to meet the sports watch style, we have added the sports modes to 32 for free, equipped with sub-professional level sports algorithms, so that consumers can enjoy the pleasure of sports.

Purchaser Colin in Hallosourcing, together with motherboard solution manufacturer **Tech and smartwatch manufacturer and ***Smart Wear Technology Ltd., held a meeting to discuss and finalize the first version of sample output from material quality standards, process standards and details, alteration details, packaging standards, acceptance standards.

Within 25 days, we have refined the requirements of the client in depth, optimizing every detail as much as possible. The aim was to provide the customer with accurate data feedback, comfortable UI interaction and a good wearing experience. Every field modification, function implementation and packaging detail was confirmed with the client by video, and a pre-production sample was sent via DHL for final confirmation.

Upon receipt of the samples, the client was very satisfied and placed an order with Ruizhi Sourcing, requesting delivery within 30 days to the specified logistics.

Sales Contract

MWG start to prepare marketing materials as soon as receive the watch sample. bellow is their filmed and produced designed materials

Out-of-box video	Best-selling promotional pic

After 25 days of the tripartite communication and coordination (Hallosourcing – smartwatch factory – MWG) as well as the ID design / Proofing / Sample confirmation, plus 1 month of production, the product was successfully launched.

We went to the factory to inspect the goods one by one, after passing the spot inspection, we notified the factory to ship, and did the corresponding export information and declared the shipment.

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