The current ASUS ZenWatch that runs on Android Wear isn’t coming to Malaysia as they would be focusing instead on its next model. The next ZenWatch is said to be able to last up to 7 days on a single charge. How is this even possible considering most Android Wear devices last just a couple of days on a single charge?
The answer lies on the operating system and ASUS is reported to be turning to a different OS to achieve this. It’s Chairman Jonney Shih has hinted the usage of a simplified chipset and a different OS for longer endurance. This doesn’t mean ASUS is abandoning Android Wear altogether as they would still release a variant with Google’s wearable platform.
Apart from introducing a new watch, ASUS also intends to release a couple more wearables targeted at lower price segments. This includes one with health management features that can track and monitor footsteps, heartbeat, pulse and even blood sugar levels. The first ZenWatch was introduced during IFA 2014 in September and the next version is likely to be released around the same time in Q3 2015.
For last year alone, over 700,000 Android Wear devices have been shipped which is not too shabby considering that most of them are released in limited countries towards the 2nd half of the year. The biggest question is whether these Android Wear players would be able to stand up to the challenge once Apple’s new Watch starts shipping in April.
Battery life has always been a pet peeve for smart wearables and this is where the Pebble shines for having a week long usage, with the usage of a non-touch monochrome screen. According to early reports, the new Apple Watch would also suffer a short battery life as they put more emphasis on a high-definition and fluid user experience. If charging a smart watch turns you off, the Swiss might have something for you as Swatch is working on a smart watch that doesn’t require charging at all.
Would you mind sacrificing function for longer battery life? Share your thoughts below.
