The big reveal of Asus’ ZenWatch is coming later this week ahead of the IFA 2014 trade show. The device won’t go on sale until October but when it does, it’ll be priced under $200 according to CEO Jerry Shen.
The Android-powered smartwatch will be among the first to run Android Wear, Google’s version of its mobile operating system designed specifically for smartwatches and other wearables. The OS was announced back in March at which time Google said it would be heavily based on Google Now voice recognition technology and would also focus on health and fitness tracking.
As an Android Wear device, the ZenWatch will feature English-based voice recognition input at launch with Chinese language support expected by the end of the year. Other features and specifications haven’t yet been revealed by Asus although we do know it’ll be offered in a single size and has been well-received by Google.
The big takeaway here is price. With a sub-$200 price point, Asus would undercut many of the more expensive smartwatches already on the market and could be the budget buy of the season. It could also put pressure on other companies like Apple to price their debut devices lower than they might have otherwise wanted to.
With just a week left until Apple’s iPhone press event, rumors are circulating that Apple may be pondering a $400 price point for its long-rumored iWatch. The Apple wearable is expected to break cover alongside two larger iPhones next Tuesday.
https://www.techspot.com/news/57916-asus-to-debut-sub-200-zenwatch-with-android-wear-this-week.html
