LIVE FROM IFA 2015: Asus today showed off its latest ZenFone line of smartphones – although by-and-large the devices were known quantities – with its imaging-oriented ZenFone Zoom (pictured above) the standout.
“We truly are delivering an amazing line-up of smartphones to keep our consumers happy for the rest of the year, and forward,” Erik Hermanson, mobile marketing director for Asus, said at the event.
The company showcased a number of previously-revealed products, including Zenfone 2 Selfie, ZenFone 2 Deluxe, ZenFone Max and ZenFone 2 Laser.
And the ZenWatch 2 was also given an outing, following its debut at Computex 2015 in June.
ZenFone Zoom
ZenFone Zoom is described as “the world’s thinnest optical-zoom smartphone”, with the company claiming it “has not only the look and feel of a DSLR camera, but the advanced features to match”.
The 13MP camera has a 3X Hoya lens in an “innovative 10-element lens arrangement”, for clarity and close-ups with up to 12X total magnification. It also has optical image stabilisation.
Asus added that the device design takes its cues from professional DSLR cameras, with dedicated buttons for shooting, recording and telephoto operations.
It is powered by a 2.5GHz quadcore Intel Atom processor, with 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage as an option. It has a 5.5-inch full-HD screen.
ZenWatch 2
Following the debut of the first-generation product at IFA last year, Asus also gave its ZenWatch 2 an outing, pricing it at a competitive €149.
With rivals such as Samsung and Huawei opting for round faces, Asus is sticking with a square form for its latest wearable.
Available in two sizes and three stainless steel case colours, with 18 different strap material and colour combinations, the company also introduced a FaceDesigner smartphone app which enables users to customise watch faces.
The device is a fully-featured activity tracker, with Asus claiming that the built-in pedometer provides “industry-leading step-counting accuracy “.
Availability in Europe begins in October.
Tablet update
And Asus also provided more details on European pricing for its latest tablet products.
ZenPad S 8.0 is an 8-inch (2K resolution) Intel powered device, which the vendor said is the first with 4GB of RAM. It supports an optional stylus and features DTS-HD Premum Sound – said to be another world first on a tablet. Pricing is €269 with 32GB of onboard storage.
Sitting beneath this is ZenPad 8.0, which supports interchangeable rear covers. Again Intel-powered, with 2GB of RAM, the device costs €199 – a version with an audio cover offering 5.1-channel surround sound will be available for €249.
For potential buyers who prefer larger screens, ZenPad 10 will be available from €299, in three models: Wi-Fi only, Wi-Fi and 3G, and Wi-Fi and 4G.
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