Asus will almost certainly be one of the next major companies to release a smartwatch, and it could be announced in early September. We’ve heard a few rumors about the device, so here’s a roundup of everything we think we know about it.
Updated on 8-27-2014 by Malarie Gokey: Asus posted a YouTube video showing off its first wearable, which will be called the ZenWatch.
All could be revealed at the IFA tech show
Asus has confirmed via its official Facebook page that it’ll be holding a press event at the IFA tech show in Berlin, and that we could see the announcement of a smartwatch on the day. Set for September 3, the teaser image features a quote from Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran, saying “Time has been transformed and we have changed.” We’ll take this as an unsubtle hint of what’s to come. The quote is surrounded by what looks like the outline of a watch face.
Screen may be slightly curved
Just a week before Asus will hold its press conference in Berlin at IFA, the company revealed two more photos of the upcoming “Asus wearable.” Both appear to be design sketches of the device with small annotations about the materials used. The first picture, posted on August 20, shows a side angle for the smartwatch. The frame is described as polished stainless steel with a mirror finish. The edges of the screen appear to be rounded, giving it a much curvier look than the boxy LG G Watch.
The most recent photo shows the top, bottom, and another side of the smartwatch. When viewed from above, the Asus wearable appears to have a rectangular screen with an oval curve to it. The new side view shows the smartwatch at a slight tilt, so you can clearly see that the bottom of the screen has been rounded to fit the curve of the wearer’s wrist. Theoretically, this small design decision should make the Asus device more comfortable to wear. The screen should also appear more flush against the user’s wrist, so it doesn’t stick out quite so much.
The image also notes that the metal frame will be sand blasted and feature different finishes for contrast. The band is said to be genuine leather, too. Based on the quality of materials in use and Asus’ attention to detail in the design, it would seem that the company is aiming to make a somewhat fashionable smartwatch.
On August 27, Asus revealed the name of its first wearable. It will be called the ZenWatch and based on the promo video below, it’s going to be pretty premium.
Android Wear could be loaded
A report published by TechCrunch, quoting inside sources, says when the Asus smartwatch does arrive, the price could be significantly lower than the competition. There’s more good news too, Asus’ watch won’t run a proprietary operating system, but Google’s new Android Wear platform, making the low price even more intriguing.
If the story proves to be correct, we could pay between $100 and $150 for the watch, which is at least $50 cheaper than Samsung’s Gear Live and LG’s G Watch. The possible spec isn’t known, but an AMOLED screen is expected to feature, and potentially be smaller in size than the 1.65-inch screens seen on the Samsung and LG models.
Asus says it’ll be feature packed
We’ve heard about an Asus smartwatch before. The company has come out and said it’s working on a wearable, and confirmed it would be a watch, adding it would be “feature packed.” TechCrunch speculates this could involve a gesture control system. However, the low price may mean anything too high-tech is built into a more expensive model.
Asus was apparently invited to launch its watch during the Google I/O keynote, but declined so as not to rush the product into production. However, a September launch may see Asus go up against the Moto 360. Motorola’s Android Wear watch is easily the most anticipated wearable outside of Apple’s iWatch, and Asus may need more than a low price point to gain attention.
Asus has been talking about its wearable plans for almost a year, but it now seems like it’s ready to show us what it has been working on. We’ll bring you all the news from Asus’ launch event on September 3.
Article originally published on 06-27-2014
Previous Updates
Updated on 8-26-2014 by Malarie Gokey: Asus published two new teaser photos on Facebook, revealing hints about the smartwatch’s design
Updated on 08-18-2014 by Andy Boxall: Asus has confirmed a press conference for September, hinting we’ll see the announcement of a smartwatch.
