Solutions / engineering support
Wearable OEM / ODM
Custom wearable design, hardware, embedded software, apps and production support for brands building their next device.
Define the relationships before the build.
Choose the starting point
Define the changes
Agree the production requirements
What we can work on together
QX TECH is a Shenzhen-based wearable design and manufacturing partner for finished products and custom OEM/ODM projects. Our scope includes smartwatches, screenless bands, other wearable form factors, software and AI hardware. For an initial assessment, share your use case, required functions, target countries, software needs and quantity scenarios. An existing platform, a new ODM design and customer-defined OEM production require different inputs; development, tooling, software rights, quantities and acceptance are agreed for the selected project.
Choose the right starting point
Choose an existing platform when its reference configuration is close to the intended product. Compare fit, enclosure, functions, connectivity and companion software, then list each required change. Branding and packaging changes are different from new electronics, sensors or firmware behavior; ask which changes reuse the platform and which need engineering and verification. A catalog sample is a reference, not a guarantee that modifications retain the same cost, performance or schedule.
For a new ODM design, define who wears it, the wear location, required interactions and what must work without a phone. Separate essential functions from options and identify the parts, drawings, software or accounts you already control. For customer-defined OEM production, establish the readiness of the design package and who resolves missing specifications. The agreement should distinguish product supply, development work and responsibilities supplied by the customer or other vendors.
| Route | Starting point | Clarify before committing |
|---|---|---|
| Catalog adaptation | An existing QX product | Reusable configuration; changes needing engineering or verification |
| ODM development | A shared brief and development scope | Required functions, engineering scope, tooling and agreed rights |
| OEM production | Customer-defined specifications | Design package readiness, test methods and production responsibilities |
Design the device and its software together
Define the complete user journey, not just the device feature list: setup, pairing, normal use, synchronization, connection loss and updates. Map each step to hardware, firmware, mobile app or backend responsibility. Identify interface documents, dependencies and the owner of each integration. Companion software can be included in a hardware program or scoped separately; an app, SDK or cloud interface is not automatically included with every product.
Agree stage gates before committing to the full program: feasibility and open questions, a reference prototype, design verification, pilot production and release acceptance as applicable. Each gate should identify the configuration, evidence, reviewer and decision needed to proceed. For an AI task, also define the input, acceptable output and behavior without connectivity. These are planning checkpoints to agree for the project, not a claim that a demonstration is already production-ready.
A clear scope is a better quotation
Request separate cost lines for evaluation samples, one-time engineering, tooling and fixtures, production units, testing, packaging and logistics. Where software or AI is involved, identify licenses, hosting, usage charges and maintenance separately. State the configuration and quantity assumption behind each price, with optional work and exclusions visible. Sample quantity, production quantity and lead time depend on the agreed design, materials, customization and validation; a target schedule is an input for assessment, not a delivery commitment.
Before a purchase order, agree the reference hardware revision, firmware/app versions, test conditions, acceptance evidence and responsibility for failed items or changes. Record ownership and permitted use of tooling, source code, SDKs and accounts, plus warranty and ongoing support boundaries, in the agreement. Required market documentation and testing must be assessed for the actual configuration and sales destinations; do not treat a catalog description or another model's documentation as approval for the new product.
Before we start
Can you work with a new wearable form factor?
Yes. QX TECH has wearable design and manufacturing experience beyond the catalog models. Share the wear location, fit constraints, required functions, interaction, software needs and sales destinations. Feasibility, the engineering scope and whether an existing platform is suitable must then be assessed for that brief; a new form factor is not assumed to be a simple enclosure change.
Do OEM and ODM include software ownership?
Not automatically. The agreement needs to identify the source code and documentation to be delivered, SDK access and license terms, app/cloud account control, tooling ownership and permitted IP use. Separate pre-existing platform components and third-party licenses from newly commissioned work. Purchasing devices or commissioning customization does not by itself grant unrestricted software rights or include future maintenance.
What should I send for a first discussion?
Send the form factor, use case, required versus optional functions, target countries, software route and any existing design or protocol documents. Include sample needs, first-order and repeat-order scenarios, a target launch window and budget assumptions if available. Mark unknowns rather than guessing. Our RFQ checklist helps organize these inputs; the resulting scope assessment is used to confirm a project-specific quotation, production quantity and schedule.