ASUS announces the ZenWatch 3 bringing a round display and fast charging
Today marked the beginning of IFA 2016 where various tech companies from around the world converge to display their best product offerings for the second half of the year. We’ve seen some new smartphones, tablets, and even another smartwatch, but ASUS wanted to get in on the fun with its announcement of the ASUS ZenWatch 3.
This Android Wear-powered smartwatch has been rumored for some time and even caught some spotlight recently after images leaked which showed its new design. With the ZenWatch and ZenWatch 2, ASUS provided users with a square display, which was cool for the time, but with the ZenWatch 3 they are changing things up a bit.
The ZenWatch 3 is the first ASUS smartwatch to feature a round display, measuring in at 1.39-inches at a resolution of 400 x 400 (287ppi). The display is also made out of curved Corning Gorilla Glass to help protect the ZenWatch 3 from the elements, including yourself. The watch itself measures in at 9.95mm thick, which is a bit thicker than its predecessor, the ZenWatch 2 (9.4mm).
ASUS has opted to build upon its relationship with Qualcomm by introducing the ZenWatch 3 powered by the Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor. This makes the ZenWatch 3 one of the “first wearable products” to make use of this brand new processor. The Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor also promises to provide a 25% efficiency boost in power when compared to the competition.
Thanks to the new Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor, the ZenWatch 3 will also include “HyperCharge” which can charge your smartwatch from 0-60% in just 15 minutes. We’ll be interested to see how true these claims are once the ZenWatch 3 makes it our way, as battery life is always a pain point with our smartphones and existing smartwatches.
Another focus of the ZenWatch 3 lies within its new fitness features that will help keep all of your workouts measured properly. With the help of the new ZenFit application, the ZenWatch 3 will “automatically count wearers’ steps throughout the day with industry-leading 95% accuracy”. The new application will also work with the new smartwatch to keep track of various other activities, and with its IP67-rating the ZenWatch 3 can become your only source for business or pleasure.
ASUS has announced the ZenWatch 3 will be coming to consumers this fall for about €229, but we can expect the US price figure to be around the same. The ZenWatch 3 will also come in three different color variants (gunmetal, rose gold, silver), and will include either a stitched Italian leather strap or a “high-quality rubber” strap.
ASUS is known for providing affordable smartwatches, and at an entry point of less than $250, the ZenWatch 3 could be one of the first smartwatches to consider this holiday season.
[ASUS]