ASUS is apparently planning a second-generation ZenWatch already, and the next smartwatch will reportedly be able to function independently from a smartphone.
This year has seen the wearable device market taking off, with smart gadgets gaining momentum and more companies joining the party. The race is expected to heat up even further in 2015, with more smartwatches and wearable gadgets set to hit the scene, and ASUS is making its own plans already.
The current ASUS ZenWatch (see image above) is widely considered one of the most stylish smartwatches available on the market, stirring lots of interest among consumers ever since its launch.
The ZenWatch may still be fresh, but the company is apparently planning a successor already. According to a new report from Focus Taiwan, ASUS is planning to launch a next-generation smartwatch in the third quarter of 2015.
The new ASUS ZenWatch iteration will reportedly rock an independent voice calling feature, aiming to allow users to take full advantage of the smartwatch's functionality without necessarily connecting the gadget to a smartphone.
So far, the Samsung Gear S has drawn plenty of interest particularly due to such functionality, as the smartwatch sports cellular connectivity and allows users to make voice calls, reply to messages, go online, and much more, without having to pair the device with a companion smartphone.
It's worth pointing out, however, that the Samsung Gear S runs Tizen OS, while Android Wear doesn't support such functionality at this point. The current ASUS ZenWatch runs Android Wear, so for the next-generation smartwatch from the company to be able to work independently from a smartphone it would need either an upgraded version of Google's platform for wearable devices, or a different OS altogether.
In addition to this next-generation smartwatch, Focus Taiwan reports that ASUS also plans to launch two new health and fitness-focused wearables next year.
For now, the current ASUS ZenWatch is still making its way to various markets across the world, after making its debut in the U.S., Japan, and the company's home market of Taiwan. A "second-wave launch" is expected to see the ZenWatch reach select European markets, Hong Kong, and China.
No additional details are available at this point regarding the next-generation ASUS smartwatch, or the other two wearable devices the company reportedly plans to launch, but more information will most likely become available next year.
