Asus ZenWatch

The Asus ZenWatch was an Android Wear-based smartwatch announced on September 3, 2014 at IFA and released by Asus on November 9, 2014. It used Android Wear, a modified version of Android designed specifically for smartwatches and other wearables.^[1] ASUS has also provided a custom app manager for this watch called the ZenWatch manager.

Asus ZenWatch

Also known as	WI500Q
Developer	Asus
Type	Smartwatch
Release date	9 November 2014; 10 years ago (2014-11-09)
Discontinued	yes
Operating system	Original: Android 4.4W.2 Current: Android Wear 6.0.1
System on a chip	Qualcomm Snapdragon 400
CPU	Quad-core 1.2 GHz
Memory	512 MB
Storage	4 GB
Display	1.63 in (41 mm) Super AMOLED 320x320 pixels, 278 ppi
Connectivity	Bluetooth LE
Power	369mAh
Online services	Google Play, Google Now
Dimensions	51 x 39.9 x 7.9 mm (LxWxH)
Weight	75 g (2.6 oz)
Successor	Asus ZenWatch 2

For health tracking, people could use the ASUS ZenFit app as well as other health apps including Google Fit. It was compatible with all smartphones running Android 4.3 or higher that support Bluetooth LE. Android Wear features a notification system based on Google Now technology that enables it to receive spoken commands from the user.^[2]

Certification

The ZenWatch had IP55 certification for resistance to water jets.^{[citation needed]} It had a user-replaceable buckle-based strap. The watch had a small power key but an always-on display.

The original ZenWatch was succeeded by the ZenWatch 2; both were square-shaped. On November 11, 2016, ASUS released the ZenWatch 3 that has a round face.

Reception

The Verge praised the design, bright display and the comfort on the wrist, but disliked the inaccurate pedometer and short battery life, and said Android Wear's interface still needed work.^[3]