Asus’ march towards conquering the smartphone market gains momentum with the announcement of four new variants of their latest Zenfone iteration.
Different market segments are targeted with each offering providing consumers a choice with which Zenfone to choose depending on usage pattern and best feature requirement.
First announced was the Zenfone 2 Deluxe best identified thru is crystal back plate and unprecedented 128GB of internal storage. It has all the makings of the Zenfone 2 with a much higher capacity for data.
It was followed up by the Zenfone Selfie differentiated from its brothers by the pastel colored back and a front facing camera that shares sensors, optics, and flash with the rear – the same excellent 13MP sensor, dual tone flash, and laser AF. This is truly a selfie oriented user’s dream come true as the quality that comes from the front camera is truly top notch! It is also the only one among the Zenfones that has ‘S’ gesture assigned specifically to launching the front facing camera.
Kim Jones, host / celebrity endorser, took over for some part as she herself uses the selfie feature with considerable frequency. She shared with the audience a few tips and guides that she adheres to and then facilitates a massive selfie with everyone inside the presentation hall!
The Zenfone 2 Laser was then presented, this particular unit has the ability to focus so fast you only need to point it in the general direction and snap away! The configurations for the Laser come in two screen sizes, 5″ and 5.5″ with some differences in processor and RAM.
Some time was taken to let the participants in on community specific apps that are proprietary to Asus like the ZenCircle and Zentalk. An avenue for Zenfans (a collective term for users of the Zenfone) to be seen and heard where questions and inquiries can be addressed by advanced users and community moderators. The Philippines actually has the highest recorded activity on these platforms according to statistic.
Finally there was mention of the Zenfone Max – equipped with a 5000mAh battery it is the most resilient of all the variants catering to the most demanding of users who cannot be bothered with carrying a powerbank… so much so that the phone itself can transfer power to another (phone) acting as one! This particular unit is set to be released around October, price pending input from the community thru Zentalk. Be sure to become a member and put in your two cents, who knows, that might bring the cost down enough to become your next phone candidate.
A short fashion show ensued featuring the entire “Zen” family lineup as well as the elusive Zenny mascot towards the end joined by Asus CEO Mr. Jerry Chen.
Retail prices were announced shortly after following the same progression as earlier to wit:
Zenfone 2 Deluxe ZE551ML– Php17,995
Zenfone Selfie ZD551KL– Php11,995
Zenfone 2 Laser 5.5″ ZE550KL– Php8,695 (Snapdragon 410/2GB Version)
Zenfone 2 Laser 5″ ZE500KL– Php7,695
Early adopters were treated to a very cute Zenny doll and a selfie stick that can trigger the camera of the Zenfone thru a connection to the headphone jack. (Too bad they’re not selling it by itself because that functionality is highly coveted!)
Asus execs were called back up to the stage for the customary presentation of featured products slash photo op. And the culminating act was the reveal of the experience zones where everyone got to try first hand what was just explained to us during the launch and provide an avenue where attendees can choose to order/pre-order the Zenfone of their choosing.
It was a splendid event that was unfazed by both weather and circumstance. Props also to the Asus team for partnering with Uber providing hassle free transfers for all participating Zenfans. A big congratulations to everyone involved in the fulfillment of the Zenfestival – that’s a second one for the books in under six months time! Truly incredible!
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