ASUS rolls out Android 9.0 Pie update to ZenFone 5Q / Lite

Ask almost anyone about their Android smartphone and you will get one common complaint. Where are the updates for the new Android version? Most times these complaints get met with crickets. This is not an ASUS ZenFone problem, it’s simply an Android problem. For now, let’s forget about what we don’t have and focus on what we have. And what we have here is an Android update for a year-old ZenFone series.

ASUS has just now started to roll out an Android 9.0 Pie software update to the ZenFone 5Q which in some parts of the world is known as the ZenFone 5 Lite or ZenFone 5 Selfie Pro. Got all that? One phone, three different names.

Not familiar with this ZenFone 5Q/Lite/Selfie Pro release? Think of it as a slightly lesser spec model of the ZenFone 5Z that flips the camera script by offering a better selfie camera than rear camera. Oh, it also goes without that trendy ZenFone 5Z notch. Sure you get chin and forehead on the ZenFone 5Q/Lite/Selfie Pro but you might appreciate some neutral areas to hold your phone as a change of pace.

The reason we’re mentioning some of the features of the ZenFone 5Q/Lite/Selfie Pro is because you’re going to find it in a lot of countries at a deep discount. You can find it for $299 USD or $449 CAD and expect it cheaper than that in the coming weeks. It’s a very solid mobile phone and would be good for members of your family who aren’t quite ready for a flagship level device. The fact you have a new Android version available means this phone has a bit more staying power and you won’t be feeling too outdated.

One note here about this Android 9.0 Pie update for the ZenFone 5Q. A lot of the quirks and bugs may have gotten worked out in the ZenFone 5Z Android 9.0 Pie update. The ZenUI is what has to incorporate with Android 9.0 and both the ZenFone 5Z and 5Q share that commonality. Expect there to be fewer issues and bugs on this rollout to the ZenFone 5Q.

Here are some of the more noteworthy Android 9.0 Pie features:

  • Adaptive Battery
  • Easier Screen Rotation
  • Easier Text Selection
  • Gesture Navigation
  • Improved Volume Controls

ASUS has done their best on updating phones as per their promises. With releasing fewer ZenFone models, expect even better and faster Android updates. ASUS with their ZenFone 6 launch has promised three future Android updates and it seems clear they will make good on these promises. Certainly most Android updates border on being overrated but ASUS must give the people what they want in order to gain some market share in the ultra-competitive smartphone market.

Update: Zenfone 5Q/Zenfone 5 Lite/Zenfone 5 Selfie Pro (ZC600KL)_WW/RU_16.0610.1905.79

[source: ASUS]

 

US Pre Order Starts Now For ZenFone 6 – Full Details!

Not from the US? Check our B&H link below because they ship internationally via DHL. The only countries they do not ship to includes: Iran, Sudan, Cuba, Syria, North Korea and Uganda. Also, if you’re not from the US, please check out our daily updated global ZenFone 6 pre-order tracker information here.

Interested in the ROG Phone 2? It’s $899 USD and is available to buy now. Hardware wise, it beats the standard ZenFone 6 by a large margin. See full details here.

The wait is over for anyone in the US (and Canada) hoping to buy a ZenFone 6. You can buy from a couple online retailers and the ASUS US online store. We have the details and links here! Canada finally got units available to buy in Canada for the first time ever and see the full details here. Canadians can also order from B&H with free shipping on most models (see info and links below).

Bonus offer from B&H with your ZenFone 6 purchase:

  • ($60 value) 3 Months Of Unlimited Talk & Text + 8GB Data Per Month On The Mint Mobile Network. Kit includes a standard, micro, and nano size SIM card. Additionally, this plan includes free international calls to both Mexico and Canada.

Choices:

  • 8GB RAM / 256GB storage ($599.00) ships in a week
  • 6GB/128GB ($549.99) ships now
  • 6GB/64GB ($499.99) ships now
  • Midnight Black (available) or Twilight Silver (limited availability)

Shipping Dates For B&H:

  • 6GB/64GB and 6GB/128GB ship now
  • 8GB/256GB ships in one week

Pre Order / Buy Now Links:

Update: No longer available. Check our updated listings here instead.

Plan on buying from B&H? You can save the equivalent to the sales tax you pay on every purchase shipped to eligible states with the B&H Payboo Card. Get approved and you can use the card right away and save. Check out the B&H Payboo Card info page and FAQ here.

Shipping Dates:

  • Midnight Black – fulfilled as first-come, first-serve
  • Twilight Silver – arriving inventory ships out as first-come, first-serve

What about Newegg, Best Buy and other retailers? Great question! We will update with those details as they become available. Likely the minimal retail options is attributable to the lack of units.

ZenFone 6 Accessories (Case, Screen Protector)

ASUS is selling the phone but not the official case. At this point, there are few reliable options. In the meantime you can use the included case, but we strongly recommend getting a protective case rather than the include shell case. Our experience with the included ZenFone cases has not been positive in the past. We are in the midst of getting some links to some recommended ZenFone 6 accessories. Hopefully by days end August 9.

ZenFone 6 Shopping Advice:

Tip #1: Don’t wait. Regardless of what the shipping date is, pre order now so you don’t wait even longer. The shipping date most times is wrong. Usually units ship sooner than first suggested during ASUS pre order phases. There will be a limited number of units available and Twilight Silver will be in short supply. In other markets we’ve seen sell outs in a matter of minutes. It’s hard to predict how many units ASUS had dedicated to the US/Canada market so we suggest moving as quickly as possible.

Tip #2: If you’re from Canada, the links above are for you too. B&H offers free shipping to Canada for orders over $100. Canada has the same ZenFone 6 model with the same network bands, so there is no difference if you buy in the US and bring into Canada.

Tip #3: Please take our advice and do not rely on the included ZenFone 6 case. We have a couple of articles about what you should do before getting your hands on your new ZenFone 6. These are cautionary tales that comes from our own experience with previous ZenFone models.

 

Flipkart sells out of 8GB/256GB 6z model in a day

We know from the last couple of years that ASUS has shifted a lot of focus to the India market. It has been one of their priority markets especially with regards to the ZenFone series. In that sense it should be surprising that India has received more variety of models than most other markets. One of them even sold out already.

ASUS initially launched the 6GB/64GB model of the ASUS 6z (renamed due to ongoing “zen” trademark dispute) in India late June. As of July 1, 2019 two more models were added including the 6GB/128GB and the 8GB/256GB version. In about 24-hours we see that the 8GB/256GB model is already sold out. There is no indication of number of units sold at this point, but seeing the most expensive model selling out first does surprise us a bit.

We should also mention that the original model for sale on Flipkart did show as being out of stock but later that same day it was back in stock. So if you really want the 8GB/256GB model, it’s worth checking back at Flipkart over the next day or two to see if they magically come up with more units to sell.

India is fortunate with their opportunity to buy a ZenFone 6. Most other markets are still in a holding pattern when it comes to pre orders or actual in-stock units. We predicted that July would be a big month in terms of increased stock and likely US, Canada and UK availability, but nothing just yet. You can visit our dedicated and updated shopping/pre-order page here if you need to know what is happening. Also we suggest you sign-up for our newsletter as we will send out information as it comes available. The pressure is certainly building on ASUS to get unit for other markets.

 

 

New ZenFone 6 software update brings ARCore and camera improvements

ASUS continues rolling along with the ZenFone 6 software updates. It would seem that any reductions in resources for their mobile division isn’t affecting their quest for improvements of the ZenFone models. This new update bring a few goodies that are going to make a difference especially in regards to the ZenFone 6 camera.

Here is a direct quote from an ASUS rep regarding this new update:

“Night Mode is one area that has received a big improvement.”

We wrote an article recently about ARCore coming to the ZenFone 6 and it has now officially happened with this update. Read the article here where we talk about ARCore and what it really is. Essentially ARCore is Google’s platform for app developers to more easily create Android apps that make use of augmented reality. ARCore is interesting to be sure but it still needs to evolve AR app offerings beyond shopping related uses.

This new update brings with it a bevy of camera tweaks and features. Here is a list of the camera improvements and changes:

  1. Improved Video Call Experience
  2. Camera; Enabled 8X zoom in Photo mode
  3. Camera; Removed the time limit for FHD video recording
  4. Camera; Added the function: to start/stop video recording with Volume Keys in Camera app
  5. Camera; Improved Photo Image Quality on Noise Reduction
  6. Camera; Improved Camera Flipping Stability

Rounding out the software update:

  • Optimized screenshot stability and solved bug related to screenshot functionality
  • TaiwanMobile VoWiFi
  • June 2019 secuity patch
  • Updated translation strings in settings

Here are the details of the update:

Date: July 1, 2019

Version: 16.1210.1906.156

Name: ZS630KL_EU_16.1210.1906.156

For now this update has rolled out to the EU version, but expect this update very soon for the other region ZenFone 6 models.

Connect to WiFi to get the update notification. You can also force the update by going into Settings > System > System Updates.

[Source: ASUS ZenTalk]

Enthusiastic Pokémon Go player earns ASUS sponsorship for ZenFone Max Pro (M2)

This story isn’t considered breaking news at this point, but it’s quite extraordinary and we wanted to share this. A 70-year old Pokémon Go player out of Taipei, Taiwan is so enthusiastic about the game, he’s come up with a contraption that allows him to use multiple mobile phones at the same time from his bicycle. If you thought one smartphone was enough to play Pokémon Go, think again.

Chen San-yuan or “Grandpa Pokémon” is what you could call a Pokémon Go enthusiast. He’s not your average player and over the past couple of years he’s created quite the social media buzz over his ability to use multiple phones from his bicycle. We’re not talking a couple phones either. Grandpa Pokémon built a contraption that allowed him to use 11 mobile phones from his bicycle and then expanded to a whopping 15 phones at one time. Why stop at 15 though?

With the over-the-top nature of having 15 phones attached to a bike to play Pokemon Go, it’s no surprise that news outlets and social media starting taking notice. Through various interviews, Grandpa Pokémon is grateful of the game because he says it gets him out of the house and stay active. His grandson introduced him to the game and previously he only played computer games and Candy Crush. He’s been playing since September 2016 and has captured 237 Pokemon which has likely increased substantially since those numbers were last reported. With all the media exposure, someone from ASUS took notice and came up with a clever idea.

ASUS reached out and offered a sponsorship to Pokémon Grandpa which also included being a spokesperson for the ZenFone Max Pro M2. Likely enticed by getting even more phones onto his contraption, he took them up on their offer. This partnership permitted him to expand the number of phones on his bicycle to 21, which of course were all ZenFone Max Pro M2 models. He brought this newly expanded bike contraption onto the stage during the Taiwan ZenFone Max Pro M2 launch event to much applause and excitement from those in attendance.

ASUS made a good marketing move on this. They were able to showcase their ZenFone Max Pro (M2) and its impressive GPS and battery life in a real-life scenario. Pokémon Go is certainly a game that will test your phone’s battery life and if the world’s most enthusiastic Go player uses your phone, it’s a great endorsement. So now that you’ve seen 21 phones in action for Pokémon Go by a single player, does this inspire you to try harder or do you want to give up?

[source: World Of Buzz]