Xiaomi-backed Misfit hopes localised app will speed up expansion into Chinese market

US wearables start-up Misfit, which counts Xiaomi among its investors, will launch an app specifically for users in China in a few months in a bid to localise their services for its second biggest market, a senior executive said.

The San Francisco-based maker of the jewellery-like Shine activity tracker and the less-costly Flash tracker will also be launching a smart light bulb on the mainland this year, making its first step into Chinese customers' homes.

“We’re going to be releasing a special app in several months just for China so we can localise our services better,” said Justin Butler, vice president of commercial development, on the sidelines of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Asia in Shanghai.

“It will be heavily integrated with Weibo and WeChat and other services used in the China market,” he said.

The company did not disclose how many users it has in mainland China, though Butler said between 30 to 40 per cent of its revenue comes from the country. That makes it Misfit's second biggest market, behind the US.