ZTE is taking a cautious approach to the smartwatch market, having cashed in on the hype by showcasing a device earlier this year, according to a Financial Times report.

According to the report, the Chinese vendor is at the “market exploration stage”, including hardware and software development, which could lead to commercial availability in the future.

In addition to technical challenges – such as battery life – it was also noted that sales are still “not good”, despite an increased amount of hype.

“The retailer feedback is still not good on sales – even Samsung is not selling well,” Kan Yulun, head of ZTE’s device business outside of Asia and the US, said.

While the wearables space has become one of the industry’s hot topics in the last 12 months, as yet this has not translated to mass adoption of smartwatches by consumers.

In October, Samsung was forced to defend sales of its Galaxy Gear, after claims that the numbers were lukewarm.

Of course, as with any new market, the products available are maturing rapidly, making them more appealing to consumers.

LG and Samsung have recently unveiled products powered by Android Wear, with Motorola set to join the fray with a device that has been widely praised for its design.

And there has also been a long-running expectation that Apple will launch its ‘iWatch’ in the near future – with its recent hiring of a senior executive from Tag Heuer indicating that it is looking seriously at delivering a premium experience to customers.