When ASUS unveiled the ZenWatch late last year during IFA 2014 in Berlin, it came as a surprise. Not so much that ASUS were entering the wearable market, as everybody seems to be branching out in that direction, but that the company seemed so determined to make their mark in the emerging sector. The original ZenWatch has been a quiet success for the company. It’s not taken off like other Android Wear devices like the Moto 360 or LG G Watch R, but for a first product from ASUS, the ZenWatch has a lot to offer.
Last year’s introduction of Android Wear watches could very much be considered first-generation products with a lot of room for improvement, and unsurprisingly some users have been looking forward to new devices. ASUS has been talking about next-generation hardware for the ZenWatch for quite some time, and they recently said that we wouldn’t see a ZenWatch 2 until this sort of time next year. Now, reports from Focus Taiwan have Jerry Shen, ASUS’ CEO, promising units of the new ZenWatch 2 to hit shelves later this year. According to the report, the ZenWatch 2 will be showcased during Computex Taipei, which is running from June 2nd to June 6th this year.
One of the areas in which ASUS is keen to improve upon their previous model is in battery life, and Shen is promising up to 4 days’ worth of battery life from one charge, which is far better than any other Android Wear watch available right now. The maximum now is two days, with devices like the Moto 360 struggling to get a full 24 hours in some circumstances. Whether or not this new watch will feature new features on top of Android Wear from ASUS remains to be seen, but either way it’s exciting to hear that ASUS is continuing with their wearable plans. The original ZenWatch is a great example of a good-looking square smartwatch, and with watches like the Watch Urbane, the Huawei Watch and others all chasing a round design, it might be ASUS to buck the trend later this year with the ZenWatch 2.