Niels van der Valk, Fossil’s regional director for consumer electronics in EMEA, outlines the brand’s plans for the Middle East

Which Misfit products can we expect to see currently available in the region’s stores?

Our focus is on Ray, which is the latest product Misfit launched – we introduced it at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) earlier this year. Ray is a stylish, versatile fitness and sleep monitor. It’s not just an activity tracker; it also serves as an accessory. We’re also focusing on Shine 2, marking the second generation of Misfit Shine. It is a disc-shaped activity monitor that includes a watch function. And recently, we released the swimmer’s edition of Shine 2, co-branded with Speedo. The Speedo Shine 2 can tracks laps and allows you to set goals for your swim session.

Typically, we have these products available with sport bands made of plastic composite. But we’re now launching products with leather, NATO-style Field bands as well. We will also be launching a whole range of accessories through the rest of the year: double-wrap leather bands, cords, necklaces and a further variety to dress up the tracker and make it more appealing to a wider group of consumers.

How do Misfit products stand out when compared to alternatives currently available in the region?

There are a lot of activity and sleep monitors on the market, but Misfit wins out because of its always-on functionality, it’s water-resistance up to fifty metres and its style quotient. To begin with, Misfit devices do not need to be charged – they run on batteries, which typically last up to six months, after which you swap them out and replace them. The benefit of this feature is that you almost never need to take it off your wrist, which is why it’s always on.

Misfit Ray and Shine 2 are water-resistant up to fifty metres, which means you can wear them in the shower and swim with them. If consumers have to take off the product every day, whether it’s for charging or to take a shower, at some point the product ends up forgotten in a drawer. With Misfit we overcome that issue. We also think our products are far more fashionable than anything else out there. We’ll also soon be releasing new colours and new accessories.

And who is the ideal Misfit user?

We appeal to a very wide audience – we’re not just focussed on sports users. Our products are suited to users who want to measure and increase their wellness levels. Misfit products allow you to set simple fitness goals for yourself – for example, how many steps you’d like to take – or you can measure the quantity and quality of your sleep – when you fell asleep, how much deep sleep you got in a night. So the device can, for instance, help you understand why you got up feeling sluggish a certain morning.

What makes these products well suited to the UAE’s market?

Users in the UAE are particularly tech-savvy, and take to and interact with new technology comfortably. The region’s consumers are certainly interested in their wellness levels, but are simultaneously also sensitive to aesthetic appeal. Misfit’s products are stylish devices that help you do just that.

Misfit products also feature IoT integration, which marks an area of heavy projected growth in the region. When you tap your Ray or Shine three times, you can switch on the lights at home, play the next song on your playlist, take a selfie or make your phone ring.

How do you see the wearables market in the UAE and the region beyond? What, in your opinion, is future of wearable tech in the region?

Globally, the market is growing explosively, and the MEA region is definitely set to follow suit, which makes it a great opportunity. According to the International Data Corporation, the wearables market is projected to reach $52B by 2020.

What are Misfit’s future expansion plans with regards to the Middle East?

Our current focus is to grow our distribution network – we will be expanding our in-store presence rapidly within the next six months, not just in the UAE but also in surrounding countries. We will also be launching our own online platform for Europe, which will be accessible through the UAE, and will also be looking at marketing opportunities and presence at events such as GITEX.