ZTE have put an end to their efforts to crowdfund their eye-tracking smartphone, “The Hawkeye”.
Originally announced at CES in 2016, The Hawkeye (also known as Project CSX) was pitched as a project that would see ZTE work with customers to determine, develop and fund a unique handset.
If it made its way to market, the $199 handset would have featured an eye-tracking camera and self-adhering case.
Unfortunately, the project hit a financial hurdle when it only met $37,000 of its $500,000 crowdfunding target.
In a statement, ZTE confirmed that work on the handset won’t be going ahead.
They say that the project “has always been about going against the norm and trying something different. But above all, it’s been about listening to you, the consumer.”
“Based on the feedback we’ve received on both Kickstarter and our own Z-Community forum, we’ve decided to phase out this campaign; however, this doesn’t mean the project is over. We are reevaluating the device for the winning Project CSX idea – an eye-tracking feature with self adhesive backing – and it will be implemented based on your feedback.”
The ambiguity here suggests that ZTE aren’t closing the door entirely on some of the tech and ideas behind the Hawkeye, which means that those aspects could very well end up recycled into a future handset.
Customers who pledged money to project will receive refunds.
