Temple wearable not made for India, says Deepinder Goyal

Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal has defended his new wearable device, Temple, against growing online criticism, saying the product is designed for global markets and not specifically for Indian consumers.

“Temple is not made for India. It’s made for the world,” Goyal said in a lengthy post on X.

He added that he expected no more than 1% of Indians to buy the device. Priced at Rs 85,000, Temple is currently available for pre-orders, with shipments expected to begin in 2027.

Responding to criticism over its price, Goyal said considerable work had gone into developing the product and that the company had priced it according to its perceived value.

“Please do not support us because we are an Indian startup. We want to compete globally. We don’t need/want nationalist support,” he wrote.

Goyal also clarified that Temple is strictly a fitness and artificial intelligence (AI) device, not a medical product. He said it has not been proven to diagnose or prevent diseases and does not replace medical consultations.

Addressing concerns over the scientific evidence supporting its features, he said consumers could wait for peer-reviewed research before deciding whether to buy it.

"You are free to sit on the fence until peer-reviewed proof arrives. You are free to not believe it even then," he wrote.

Goyal also said Entropy, rather than BrainFlow, was the main feature of Temple. He introduced another term, Roomdeaf AI, describing the device as a privacy-focused companion.

Temple is a wearable device that attaches to the side of the head. Its optical sensors are claimed to track physiological signals associated with blood flow in the brain.

However, doctors have questioned whether sensors placed near the temple can accurately measure blood flow inside the brain.