Next Asus ZenWatch Could Blow Away the Competition with 7-day Battery Life

Battery life is currently the bane of a smartwatch’s existence. However, it might not always be such a huge issue, hints Asus CEO Jonney Shih. During a recent event, Shih hinted Asus’ next smartwatch may last an entire week on a single charge.

Currently, the first-generation ZenWatch, which runs Google’s Android Wear operating system, only lasts a day or two at the most. Like most smartwatches, the ZenWatch also plays second fiddle to the smartphone with which it is paired. Asus is reportedly working on solving both of those problems with its next wearable.

“The ZenWatch is defined by us as a companion to a smartphone, and we think it still has a lot of room for improvement,” Shih said, according to the Taipei Times. “As a companion device, its central processing unit and operating system should be more simplified than the current version, so that I can use it for up to seven days on one charge, rather than for just two days.”

Based on Shih’s statements, it seems that Asus thinks a more energy efficient processor and simplified OS might be the answer to the smartwatch problem. The Taiwanese company is not the first to suggest that a different OS could make all the difference. Samsung’s Tizen OS runs on many of its wearable devices, including a few stand-alone smartwatches which also have cellular connectivity, so they function as phones.

It’s unclear whether Asus will go through with these plans, or what OS it may choose instead of Android Wear. However, earlier statements from Shih peg the second ZenWatch release for the third quarter of 2015, and a few rumors hint that the device may have a SIM card and phone functions all on its own. The company may also introduce a few low-cost, health-focused wearables in the near future.

Author: Malarie Gokey

Source: DigitalTrends