Report : Google-Backed Chinese Smartwatch To Go Head To Head With Apple

(RTTNews) - Mobvoi Inc., the Chinese AI startup backed by Google, intends to go toe-to-toe with Apple Inc.(AAPL) when it begins selling its smartwatches in the U.S. in September, Bloomberg reported.

The four-year-old startup founded by a coterie of former Googlers is hoping American consumers will take to the second generation of the Ticwatch, which made waves back home via voice-activated natural language search and innovative features like a touch-sensitive strip for scrolling. The new version responds to questions in English and will let U.S. users order pizzas, hail Ubers and pick out restaurants on Yelp.

The $200 gadget will go for a fraction of the standard-issue Apple Watch and is roughly $100 cheaper than Motorola's latest Moto 360.

Li Zhifei, founder and chief executive officer of the Beijing-based company, reckons he could sell about 50,000 of the devices within a year of its U.S. debut, helping bring its total revenue to $100 million in 2017.

Li reportedly said the company may consider a U.S. IPO next year if its U.S.-bound device can replicate its success at home.