Asus ZenFone smartphones to launch in Singapore

SINGAPORE — Asus’ ZenFone series of smartphones will launch in Singapore and some other countries in Southeast Asia, Asus announced at an event in Jakarta today (April 15). This launch of the Intel-powered devices, led by the flagship ZenFone 5, marks the first time the devices are being launched outside of Taiwan and China.

Originally announced at CES in January, the ZenFone 4, 5 and 6 are powered by Intel Atom dual-core chipsets and run on Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean).

The ZenFone 5 comes with a 5-inch 1,280x720 HD IPS+ screen, and is 5.5mm thick at its thinnest edge. It’s powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2560 processor, and comes with an f/2.0 8-megapixel main camera with image stabilisation that Asus says can take photos that match many dedicated digital cameras.

The ZenFone 4 comes with a 4-inch display, and is powered by a 1.2Ghz Intel Atom Z2520 processor, and supports microSD expandable storage up to 64GB. The main camera is a 5-megapixel camera, and the phone will weigh just 115g.

The ZenFone 6 comes with a 6-inch 1,280x720 HD IPS+ screen and will also have Asus’ SonicMaster audio technology for “immersive entertainment experiences”. It will also come with a 13-megapixel camera, and a 2-megapixel front camera for selfies.

All ZenFone models will come with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screens and Asus’ own ZenUI, which Asus touts as having over 200 enhancements to make it “even more fun and seamless to use”. ZenUI also boasts of “What’s Next” and “Do It Later” features to help users manage the information they have to handle daily.

All ZenFone cameras have Asus’ PixelMaster technology, that include “Selfie Mode” and “Depth Of Field Mode” to improve camera performance. The ZenFone 5 and 6 will also come with “Low-Light Mode” — to better capture photos in low-light conditions — and “Time Rewind” — where photos are taken before and after the shutter is pressed so that the correct moment isn’t missed.

The ZenFone 5 will come in Charcoal Black and Pearl White, and will launch in May. Registration of interest for the ZenFone 5 begins from April 23 to 30, and interested parties can register at http://www.asus.com/sg. The pre-registration price is S$199 (without contract), after which it will cost S$249.

Both the ZenFone 4 and 6 will come in Charcoal Black, Pearl White and Cherry Red, will be available in late May. Exact availability will be released later.