Codoon is one of the first wearable tech gadgets produced by a Chinese company. It’s also an almost exact copy of the Jawbone UP. Sina Tech reports Chinese consumers will be able to get a Codoon on their wrists by the beginning of June.
Like the Jawbone UP, the Codoon (on the left side in the image) is meant to be worn 24/7 as it monitors the wearers’ activity and sleeping patterns. Furthermore, the Codoon’s similarity to the UP doesn’t just end at its wraparound design, zig-zag texture, glowing blue crescent moon icon, cap and headphone jack sync. As For Techies Only noted in March, Codoon’s Web site and app also bear a striking similarity to the Jawbone UP’s, with near identical UIs and feature sets.
Though the Jawbone UP has been available in China since the end of last month, its retail price of 1,100 yuan (about $180) is more than three times as expensive as the Codoon, which will sell for just 299 yuan (about $49). Though wearable tech has yet to gain traction in China, the low price point might be enough to tempt customers to at least try out the Codoon wristband.
Before it went “Single White Female” on Jawbone UP, Codoon was a fledgling suite of apps developed by startup LeDong, the first Chinese company to offer a fitness tracking apps. Codoon received over $1 million in funding from Chinese online gaming company Shanda in 2011.
We’ve emailed Codoon and Jawbone for comment.