Chinese device maker TechFaith announced plans to move into the wearables space, with the launch of a “ruggedised, waterproof Smartwatch”, called A-Watch.

The company said the product builds on its “extensive leadership in the ruggedised segment”. It features a 1.6-inch “always glanceable, vibrant LCD screen”, and in addition to its hard-wearing capabilities will feature a personalised fitness manager, heart-rate sensor, e-compass, smart notification through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.

“The launch of our first wearable, ruggedised and waterproof Smartwatch will serve to expand our addressable market in the domestic China market over the near term and to other key markets worldwide over the longer term, while expanding our successful ruggedised family of phones and notebooks,” said Deyou Dong, president and COO of TechFaith.

“Given our differentiated position and potential for our ruggedised and waterproof smart A-Watch, we plan to take an even more aggressive promotion and marketing support strategy.”

Earlier this year, TechFaith announced plans to take its ruggedised Android smartphones into the mass market, aided by the introduction of a “sleeker form factor”, supported by a large advertising campaign.

Other vendors have also looked to tackle this sector, including smartphone market leader Samsung, targeting consumers for whom the increasingly common waterproof credentials are not enough.