14 DAY TRIAL // ASUS introduced its first smartwatch product back at IFA 2014, which arrived on the market with a more affordable price tag compared to the rest of the competition.
While smartwatches are still to take off, ASUS believes continuing to invest in wearables is a good idea, so today at Computex 2015, the Taiwanese device maker has revealed its second Android Wear watch, the ZenWatch 2.
The company said its original smartwatch was well received, so this year it is bringing a few improvements and aesthetic refinements with the new model to make things even more interesting.
The ZenWatch is offered in two versions - a bigger model with a 41mm / 1.61 inch face and 22mm / 0.86 inch band and a smaller edition with a 37mm / 1.45 inch frame and 18mm / 0.7 inch band (as seen at The Verge).
The specification list includes an OLED display protected by 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3 and an unnamed Qualcomm chip residing under the hood (it’s probably the same Snapdragon 400 the original ZenWatch took advantage of).
The new ASUS watch features a metal crown on the side, which is actually a simple external button and a physical scroll wheel.
ASUS brings slight improvements to the new model
The wearable has better water and dust resistance (IP67) and comes with a new magnetic charging system, so there’s no cradle to be attached on the back of the smartwatch like it was the case with the original model.
Speaking of which, ASUS says that users should enjoy an improved battery life, although we’re not provided with the exact details.
On the software side, the watch runs Android Wear, but ASUS has improved some things here too, revamping the Remote Camera app and adding a completely redesigned Wellness app.
The ZenWatch 2 will be available for purchase in silver, gunmetal and rose-gold with a choice of straps like rubber, leather and metal. ASUS will also cater to the needs of fancier customers, offering a Swarovski encrusted band.
Another detail on which ASUS still keeps mum is pricing. We also don’t know when the new wearable will make it on the market, but chances are we still have some time to wait for that to happen. We’ll update you when the info becomes available.
