Deepinder Goyal has responded to criticism of Temple, a wearable device priced at Rs 85,000, after his post about the product drew sharp reactions online. Goyal said the device is meant for fitness and artificial intelligence use, not for medical purposes, and he pushed back against the idea that it should be judged as a product built for the Indian market.
Goyal says Temple is not a medical device
Goyal wrote about Temple on social media on 8 November, during Diwali, and the post set off a round of debate about the device, its price and its claims. Reports about his response appeared on 9 November. The device, which carries a price tag of Rs 85,000, was criticised by users who questioned what it does and whether the price is justified. In his response, Goyal said Temple should not be treated as a medical product. He described it as a fitness and artificial intelligence device, and he said the distinction matters for how the product is understood. The device tracks a measure called Entropy, which Goyal said is the main metric, rather than Brain Flow. Goyal also said the device was not made for India. He said he did not want nationalist support for the product, and he asked that it be judged on what it does rather than on where it comes from. The remark was aimed at supporters who had framed Temple as an Indian product to be proud of.
The cost of building Temple
Goyal said the development of Temple cost about 30 million dollars, and that about 20 million dollars of that came from his own money. The figure puts Temple among the more expensive personal projects taken up by a founder of a large Indian consumer internet company. The spending covers the hardware, the software and the research behind the device. Goyal has not given a detailed break-up of the costs, and he has not said when the device will be available to buy or in which markets it will be sold first. The price of Rs 85,000 puts Temple well above most consumer wearables sold in India. Fitness bands and smartwatches from large brands usually sell for a fraction of that price, which is one reason the device drew attention when Goyal posted about it.
Why the device drew criticism
The criticism of Temple focused on two points. The first was the price, which many users said was too high for a wearable. The second was the claims around what the device measures, with users asking for clearer evidence of what the readings mean. Goyal's response did not include new technical data about the device. He instead restated what Temple is meant to be, a fitness and artificial intelligence wearable, and what it is not, a medical device. He did not say whether clinical or independent testing of the device has been done. The exchange shows how closely the products of well known founders are watched in India. A single post about a new device can draw thousands of reactions within hours, and the founder often has to respond in public.
What happens next for Temple
There is no confirmed launch date or sales plan for Temple yet. Goyal has not said when the device will go on sale, how it will be priced in different markets, or whether it will be sold in India at all. The device will need to answer the questions raised online before it reaches buyers. Those questions cover the evidence behind its readings, the value it offers at Rs 85,000, and the markets where it will be available. Until then, Temple remains a product known mainly through Goyal's own posts.
