Annual Zen Talk conference slated for August 26 to showcase Zenfone 4

July 26, 2017 Categories: News by 0 Comments

According to a report from Taipei Times, Asus has set a date for their annual “Zen Talk” conference at which time they will showcase their Zenfone 4 series and the Zenfone AR. Apparently this is the third such conference that Asus has put together as a brand building and consumer friendly event. A high ranking Asus executive is expected to participate and lead the function. Our guess? Jonney Shih would seem an ideal candidate to meet and greet consumers!

One other interesting tidbit from this story is that Taipei Times suggests that invitations to the official August Zenfone 4 launch event have not yet been sent out. This is somewhat contradictory to a previous story that was published elsewhere. Last week it was suggested by Sogi.com.tw that the Zenfone 4 product launch event was slated for August 17th. The date may be true, but there has been no official invites for such a date just yet.

Stay tuned, things are starting to heat up on the Zenfone 4 launch!

 

[source: Taipei Times]

New software updates for Zenfone 4 Max (ZC554KL) / Zenfone 3 Deluxe (ZS570KL) / Zenfone Go (ZB552KL)

July 24, 2017 Categories: Firmware Updates, News, Software Updates, ZB552KL, ZC554KL, Zenfone 3 Deluxe, Zenfone 4 Max, Zenfone Go, ZS570KL by 0 Comments

It was just recently that Asus rolled out a software update for the Zenfone 3 Deluxe (ZS570KL) but there is in fact another rollout. You can manually check for updates via your system settings. There is not a lot of details other than to say “Improve ZenUI stability”. It’s not clear if this was to squash bugs from the last update.

Version: WW_5.15.44.2562

Date: 2017/7/24

Release Notes: Improve ZenUI stability.

Also Asus has rolled out yet another update for the new Zenfone 4 Max (ZC554KL) phone. The tweaking of the hotspot stability is nice to see.

Version: ZC554KL(8917)_ WW_14.2016.1705.146

Date: 2017/07/19

Release Notes: Fix some minor issues, optimize wifi hotspot stability.

Last but not least, there is an update for the Zenfone Go (ZB552KL) model as well. There are a number of fixes listed.

Version: ZB552KL_ WW_13.0.6.48

Date: 2017/7/24

Release Notes:

  • Fix TW GT sim detection and display issue.
  • Add 2G service close by TW NCC warning popup.
  • Fine tuned the picture quality and white balance correction speed.
  • Google security patch upgraded to June.

[source: Asus ZenTalk – Link 1 – Link 2 – Link 3]

Digitimes report suggests Zenfone 4 will be released in August

July 24, 2017 Categories: News, Release Date, Zenfone 4 by 0 Comments

This story has been in circulation for a little while now, but we just want to make mention of the information because Digitimes is often accurate as it pertains to Asus news.

So the story says the Zenfone 4 is coming in August. This has been suggested by other sources and seems accurate, although we have since learned that August 17th is likely the event date. In addition, Asus just recently put out four new teaser images for the Zenfone 4 series, highlighting camera capabilities.

Digitimes suggests Asus is four months behind its original schedule which was April. However these dates are not exact simply because Asus likely would have not unveiled the Zenfone 4 prior to June Computex 2017 event. Further, Asus would not have had the Zenfone 4 available to buy in Taiwan in June in all likelihood. There is a big difference between an unveiling vs. availability to buy. Asus is not that far off their schedule in our estimation.

There is a bit more information from Digitimes other than just a release date.

The story suggests that Asus

The sources indicate that the first model, the Zenfone 4 Max is targeted to compete with the following:

  • Oppo R11
  • Vivo X9
  • Xiaomi Mi 6
  • HTC U11

Digitimes suggests also that the delay in the Zenfone 3 launch meant that Asus shipped 10 million phones in 2016, missing the target of 25 million units. It’s difficult to verify sales numbers simply because Asus does not disclose that information. If you watch any investors conference, you will see Asus CEO Jerry Shen tip toe around questions regarding sales volumes. The number may be debatable but indicators are that the Zenfone 3 did fall short in terms of meeting sales targets.

[source: digitimes.com]

China gets new Zenfone ZC550TL (X015D), sporting new ZenUI 4.0

July 24, 2017 Categories: News, X015D, ZC550TL by 1 Comment

Here is something interesting. Check out this new smartphone that Asus is bringing to the China market. It’s the X015D. We would like to be able to call this something, but translation tools are struggling. Is this the Asus “Electric God 4”? Google translate tells us so, but something is askew. Whatever it’s called, it’s not the Zenfone 4 Max but it’s certainly a chip off the same old block.

It’s packing a 5,000mAh battery which is actually a bit larger than the Zenfone 4 Max. That’s the key selling point, aside from the low price. Like the new Zenfone 4 Max, the 120-degree photo snapping capabilities is a big selling point on this phone as well.

As an added bonus, this is a first look at ZenUI 4.0, albeit in Chinese. The icons that you see on the renders are not going to be similar, but it’s entirely likely that some of the ZenUI 4.0 redesign can be seen. If anyone can help with the translation, please feel free to add a comment below! It would be nice to see this ZC550TL in the wild to give a better idea of ZenUI 4.0 but there is simply a lack of sources out there right now.

Here is a gallery with some looks at the ZenUI 4.0 version Chinese edition:

 

First let’s look at the specs of the ZC550TL.

  • 5.5-inch display
  • 1280 x 720 resolution
  • MediaTek MT6750 @ 1.5GHz
  • 3GB RAM
  • 32GB Storage
  • Android 7.0
  • 5MP front camera, dual 13MP + 8MP rear camera
  • 5000mAh battery
  • 154.5mm x 76.6mm x 8.85 mm
  • 200g
  • ￥1399.00

Asus ZC550TL Gallery:

 

[source: Asus.com.cn]

UK pre orders begin for Zenfone AR

July 21, 2017 Categories: News, UK, Zenfone AR, ZS571KL by 0 Comments

The UK market did not get a Zenfone 3 release and no, we’re not joking. We can’t think of many other markets that were excluded entirely from an official Zenfone 3 release but this was the case for the UK. We can’t say for certain if this means the UK is on for the Zenfone 4, but it’s looks more likely now.

Now in 2017, Asus is bringing a Zenfone into the UK market. The Zenfone AR (ZS571KL) is now up for pre order. Before we talk price, keep in mind that the Zenfone AR is pretty much packing every possible top end spec imaginable with the exception of the latest Snapdragon 835. The Zenfone AR packs a Snapdragon 821 but it’s a tweaked out version which does run faster than the traditional 821.

Zenfone AR in the UK price: £799.99

Pre Order Gift: Free Google Daydream headset +
£30 Google Play Voucher with purchase

Asus states there is a limited quantity and be assured they mean what they say. If you want this, pre order it. Asus has been quite conservative on stock quantities so buying now is a far better idea.

This is the world’s first Tango enabled and Daydream ready smartphone on the market. If you’re asking me what the ultimate feature, I would say it’s the high resolution AMOLED display. Nothing looks better than AMOLED and the beauty of the display never gets tired. This particular version packs 128GB onboard storage which is also very impressive. This is essentially like a next generation Zenfone 3 Deluxe, except it’s better.

 

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