Reddit folks already talking ZenFone 7. Is it too early for that?

October 21, 2019 Categories: ZenFone 7 by 0 Comments

What the heck? It’s late October and countries still are waiting on either an official ZenFone 6 launch or new inventory. Clearly the ZenFone 6 is still in demand regardless of how confusing the launch schedule has been. Given that fact, should people even start talking ZenFone 7 now? It seems that Reddit users are quick to start talking about the next big thing—ZenFone 7.

It has been quite the journey with the ZenFone 6. Out of the gates it looked extremely promising for ASUS and their newly streamlined mobile phone division of the company. They were downsizing but at the same time they came up with their most popular and most touted ZenFone ever.

There has been a veil of secrecy surrounding release dates and inventory but it still hasn’t turned the demand away. Sure some people have moved on to other devices, but many still wait. It may be bizarre to think the ZenFone 7 is closing in, but it really is.

We aren’t inclined to say much about a ZenFone 7 release because it’s nothing but speculation. It’s fun to talk about what we want to see in the next device of course and we put together a ZenFone 7 page for just that purpose.

ASUS learned a lot with the ZenFone 6 experience. How to deal with pent up demand and supply shortages should make the ZenFone 7 launch much better. The real question when it comes to the ZenFone 7 is whether ASUS will make the flip camera their mainstay feature. Will it continue on to the next generation of phones. We certainly hope so as it’s a difference maker and with manufacturing issues dealt with, the ZenFone 7 could really benefit not only in price, but manufacturing efficiency.

As for the Reddit community and the ZenFone 7, it shows you that people want to know about the next big thing. We will eventually shift our focus to what’s next, but for now we will continue to track ZenFone 6 inventory, release dates and prices. It’s the phone available to buy and hopefully we can be of better service to you with providing current information vs. sheer speculation on a future ZenFone.

[source: Reddit]

 

ZenFone 6 gets released in Brasil – Fans wanted cheaper price

October 21, 2019 Categories: Brasil, Brazil, News, ZenFone 6, ZS630KL by 0 Comments

Update: Official price is R$2.699,00 for 6GB/64GB,  R$3.399,00 for 6GB/128GB, R$3.999,00 for 8GB/256GB, and R$4.899,00 for ZenFone 6 Edition 30 with 12GB/512GB.

Brasil is getting a ZenFone 6 event today along with the ROG Phone 2 unveiling. With other markets still waiting for their own ZenFone 6 perhaps this is encouraging news.

The official prices in Basil will be unveiled soon by ASUS, but there have been a few leaks from retailers prior to the official launch date. Retailers can get prices wrong, but Americana posted a product listing with a price of R$6.478,20 or R$7.198,00 with installments. The price is for the 6GB/64GB model. It’s not clear what configurations that will be available for Brasil and in what quantity.

What’s interesting about those discovered prices, a fan site who had a poll about prices showed that most people wanted a price of R$2.799 to R$3.350. It’s only natural that people want cheaper prices but ASUS has been quite consistent on offering the ZenFone 6 at the same price as last years ZenFone 5z. It would certainly be newsworthy if ASUS hikes the prices above last years model.

South East Asia is a region that is getting frustrated about a ZenFone 6 release. People have reached out to ASUS on the ZenTalk forums about the region and if there will be a release, but no ASUS staff have responded. No response is typical and it really have been unclear about availability almost from the original release date prior to the summer. We’ve also heard that Philippines may not be getting the ZenFone 6 at all which could be a big issue moving forward for ASUS. Canada also is waiting for a release which is a strange turn of events considering their close proximity to the US and the fact US has had units available for a couple months now. The mystery of the ZenFone 6 continues on.

Stay tuned for updated Brasil information as we are just hours away from the official launch event. As with every other market, we strongly suggest pre-ordering the second the opportunity comes up. Units are not plentiful and they will sell out quickly, putting you to the back off the line having to wait even longer. Good luck!

New ZenFone 6 update fixes screen rotation flashing black issue

October 14, 2019 Categories: Firmware Updates, News, Software Updates, ZenFone 6, ZenFone 6 Edition 30, ZS630KL by 0 Comments

It’s that time again. ASUS has rolled out their monthly update for the ZenFone 6. It does seem that they have a consistent schedule with something coming out every month or more depending on what issues are being reported out there.

This October 14th update fixes a screen rotation flashing black issue. There have been numerous reports on the ZenTalk forums about this problem and it’s reassuring to know that ASUS is listening. More than that, it’s good to know that complaints communicated through ASUS channels get to the team(s) that can address and fix the issue. The moral of this story is that if you are having an issue or bug, post about it on the ASUS ZenTalk forum and it will get dealt with. Make sure you have all the details posted so the issue can be duplicated on their end.

Aside from fixing the screen rotation issue, ASUS says this update is “enhancing the system stability”. That’s awfully generic in nature but perhaps this covers a few reports minor bugs that have been reported since the last update. The actual release notes for these updates are sometimes lacking specifics which is a frustration. Explain what you’re fixing or tweaking because people care about these types of details. Obviously if they are “enhancing” stability, they have some idea of what it is they tweaked. Tell us please!

Available For The Following Regions:

  • ZenFone 6 ZS630KL_ WW_16.1220.1909.194
  • ZenFone 6 ZS630KL_EU_16.1220.1909.194
  • ZenFone 6 ZS630KL_RU_16.1220.1909.194
  • ZenFone 6 ZS630KL_ IN_16.1220.1909.194

Version:

  • 16.1220.1909.194

Model Name:

  • ZenFone 6 (ZS630KL)

Release Date:

  • 2019/10/14

(source: ASUS)

New DXOMARK scoring system rates ZenFone 6 camera even higher

October 8, 2019 Categories: News, Review, ZenFone 6, ZenFone 6 Edition 30, ZS630KL by 0 Comments

By the sheer innovation of the flip camera module, it wasn’t surprising that when the ZenFone 6 was first tested by DXOMARK that it was the best selfie camera on the market. The overall DXOMARK score back then was impressive for the ZenFone 6. After DXOMARK recently added “Wide” and “Night” modes to their scoring criteria, the ZenFone 6 is rated even higher.

Truthfully it hasn’t been a fair fight when it comes to selfie ratings on DXOMARK. ASUS is able to use their ultra-capable rear facing camera for front facing photography so that isn’t entirely an even playing field. None the  less, it’s clearly the best option for selfie photo lovers who don’t want to pay an extraordinary price for their mobile phone.

It has been a while since ASUS last updated their firmware with camera improvements so that will be interesting to monitor in the future. It’s also not exactly clear which firmware version DXOMARK was using for their reviews. Given that ASUS was initially very dedicated to monthly improvements to their camera, it’s worth noting and considering when it comes to review scores. Not just as it relates to DXOMARK, but any early ZenFone 6 reviews that cover the camera are likely done with early firmware that has not undergone tweaking and improvements so the information may not be accurate or representative of how good the ZenFone 6 camera really is.

So with ASUS scoring a 104, the ZenFone 6 is among the greats. This is quite an achievement for ASUS considering they are a minor mobile phone player at this stage but have kept hard at trying to make their offerings strong in the photography category. It looks like they have achieved their goal, at least for now. The ZenFone 7 should likely inch them closer to the top DXOMARK positions provided ASUS sticks with their flipping camera module.

In the 104 score review of the ZenFone 6, here are some of the key aspects that DXOMARK really enjoyed about the camera:

  • autofocus is fast and accurate in both photo and video
  • noise control in a variety of lighting conditions
  • good color rendering in both photo and video
  • white balance and exposure are accurate in night portraits using flash
  • video had good stabilization
  • video captured good details in a variety of conditions

[source: DXOMARK]

Oppo files patent for “ZenFone 6 like” flip camera

October 8, 2019 Categories: News, ZenFone 6, ZS630KL by 0 Comments

The expression, imitation is the ultimate form of flattery, rings true for the ASUS ZenFone 6 flip camera. It appears at this point, ASUS has created a solution for a problem that all-screen displays suffer from—a lack of space. Other companies are paying attention it seems. We’ve just learned of another company (Oppo) have submitted patents for a similarly designed flip camera module.

ASUS has always been a company that doesn’t fear failure. They are risk takers who are willing to create products that break the mold of what’s expected. Some have been successful, others have failed. They made no bigger splash than their first Android tablet offerings in their Eee Pad series where they came up with their unique Eee Pad Transformer and Eee Pad Slider.

It has been very clear that the ZenFone 6 camera module came out of nowhere. It was an incredibly well kept secret and ultimately took the mobile phone industry by storm. Who woulda thunk it? It was the talk of the town after the launch event and ASUS has simply not been able to manufacture enough units to meet the huge demand.

In a sense, cameras that can be used for both front facing and rear facing is like the holy grail of design. One set of high-end cameras that provides the functionality of two different placements. This means zero compromise regardless if you’re shooting a selfie, regular photo or video.

When you see what Apple is doing and Google is doing with the Pixel 4, there are more cameras now on the rear. The three rear facing cameras is a trend that all other manufacturers will adopt in late 2019 and 2020 to be sure. This should lead to an interesting decision for ASUS and the ZenFone 7.

Should ASUS keep their innovative camera module design and just upgrade it with more cameras that are common in the next generation phones? Or will the addition of another camera throw a wrench into the entire flip camera design?

When it comes to the ZenFone 7, we think ASUS can manage just fine by including the additional camera and creating a larger flip camera module. Easy for us to say!

[source: PriceBaba.com]

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