Taiwanese electronics and hardware giant Asus seems to be going in a different direction with their design of the new ZenWatch, dubbed by the media as the Asus ZenWatch 3. This may spell good news for the company whose earlier attempts at building a smartwatch went largely unappreciated. However, while a radical change in design does not guarantee a complete overhaul in terms of specs, we cannot throw away the possibility entirely.
New leaked images of the upcoming Asus ZenWatch show off a round face, which is in complete opposition to its rectangular predecessors. The photos that were reportedly taken during an inspection, were published briefly by China’s telecom regulator and they coincide with some earlier FCC filings that were leaked online which also confirm the upcoming wearable’s round design.
The new Asus ZenWatch has been compared to the Moto 360, the Samsung Gear S2, and the LG Watch Urbane. The photos showcase the triple side button design of the watch as well as a magnetic ring charger that attaches to the back of the device. The band that we can see in the picture looks like leather. Overall, the new ZenWatch may be a refreshing addition to the slew of smartwatches with its standout vintage feel.
The ZenWatch 3 will offer Bluetooth 4.2 as well as WiFi capabilities in terms of connectivity, but the smartwatch sadly lacks mobile data connectivity. Earlier reports have said that the watch will feature a stainless steel body. But most significantly, the round shape of the ZenWatch 3 is being seen by several experts as a hint that the device will be running Android Wear 2.0, which is specifically designed for wearables with round displays because of its circular UI.
While none of these speculations have been confirmed by Asus till now, the company is presenting at the upcoming IFA 2016 on August 31st, so we hope to find out soon what the ZenWatch 3 is all about in a matter of a few weeks.