Kreyos
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer electronics, Wearable technology |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Steve Tan |
| Defunct | 2014 |
| Fate | Ceased operations |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Kreyos Meteor smartwatch |
| Owner | Steve Tan |
Kreyos was a San Francisco-based company specializing in consumer electronics, primarily developing digital wearable technology tailored for active users. Their debut offering, the Kreyos Meteor smartwatch, was launched through an Indiegogo crowdfunding initiative that amassed over $1.5 million—exceeding its initial $100,000 target by fifteenfold. Despite this robust financial backing, the product encountered severe delays and quality control problems, with numerous units either malfunctioning or never reaching customers, ultimately causing the company to cease operations around 2014.
History
The Meteor campaign ran from June 23 to August 12, 2013, successfully raising more than $1.5 million. Early stages of manufacturing exposed design shortcomings, particularly the speaker positioning which resulted in muted sound output. This issue necessitated a redesign that postponed delivery dates from January to mid-February 2014 and improved audio volume by 25%. The company faced criticism due to poor communication but pledged greater transparency following an apology issued in November 2013.
The product launch experienced further delays when hardware testing uncovered an “echoing” problem, pushing shipment timelines back to April 2014. Senior leadership at Kreyos intervened directly to oversee production corrections and provided supporters with incentives such as a limited-edition belt clip and discounts on upcoming models. Progress updates showcased compatibility demonstrations with Google Now on Android devices and user interface previews for iPhone users.
Additional postponements were caused by supplier complications and a severe flooding event at the Guangdong manufacturing plant in May 2014. By late May, Kreyos commenced shipping roughly 5,000 units within the United States, distributing them according to backer order priority. Nevertheless, app performance remained deficient; both Android and iOS applications suffered from connectivity and synchronization issues as of August 2014, while the Windows Phone app never launched—significantly limiting the smartwatch’s intended functionality and disappointing many backers.
These operational difficulties and problematic product rollout eroded Kreyos’ position in the competitive wearable technology sector, contributing to poor financial results and the company’s eventual dissolution.
Closure
On September 15, 2014, Steve Tan, founder and owner of Kreyos, publicly announced the company’s shutdown. Tan cited insufficient technical capabilities within Kreyos and dependence on an Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) for both development and funding as primary reasons for failure. The ODM did not fulfill project requirements, leaving Kreyos without the expertise or capital needed to address ongoing issues. Tan accused the ODM of intentionally defrauding Kreyos by reallocating its resources toward creating turnkey smartwatch products for other clients. With no remaining funds to issue refunds and persistent software defects unresolved, Kreyos planned to liquidate recovered components and tooling assets before closing operations. Remaining software was subsequently released under an open source license.
Kreyos Meteor
The Kreyos Meteor represented the company’s flagship smartwatch model.
Features
The Meteor was marketed with voice and gesture control capabilities for managing messages, calls, and music; however, these functionalities were not realized in the final version. It incorporated a low-power 1.26-inch memory LCD equipped with backlighting, a vibration motor, and alarm features. Sensor integration included a three-axis gyroscope—falling short of the six-axis accelerometer and gyroscope combination originally advertised. Connectivity options featured Bluetooth 4.0 LE compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 8 platforms along with ANT+ support for accessories such as cyclocomputers and heart rate monitors.
Notably absent were programmable gesture controls via apps, integration with voice assistants like Siri or Google Now, voice command functionality, a 'Find your Phone' feature, and cloud fitness data storage. The device housed a built-in microphone paired with a low-quality speaker and offered activity tracking modes for cycling and running. The watch module could be detached from its strap for alternative use on a lanyard or belt clip.
These deficiencies underscore significant obstacles faced by Kreyos in terms of product execution and business strategy within the highly competitive smartwatch marketplace.
Reception
Initial conversations prior to launch were optimistic; however, a series of setbacks, technical difficulties, and unmet expectations resulted in unfavorable feedback. The Meteor experienced considerable shipment postponements after an echo problem emerged during testing, delaying delivery from April 2014 to July for the initial 5,000 supporters. Although the development team promised a solution, early purchasers became increasingly frustrated.
Additionally, Kreyos did not provide a companion application at the time of the watch’s release, explaining that they aimed for simultaneous app availability. This postponement intensified customer disappointment and skepticism across social media platforms. Further disapproval arose when Kreyos altered the product’s specifications—lowering the waterproof rating from 5 meters to just 1 meter and scaling back the gyroscope from 6-axis to 3-axis—contradicting earlier statements and website details.
The company also faced criticism for unclear updates about delays and timelines, as well as for removing unfavorable comments and Better Business Bureau links from their social media channels. In their closure announcement, co-founder Steve Tan admitted that the Meteor could no longer be classified as waterproof in its existing condition.