ZenFone Zoom: Will ASUS, a tech-geek brand, be the next HTC?

When it comes to ASUS mobile phones, for some enthusiast users, the most profound impression may still be the PadFone series of products from many years ago. Successive generations of PadFone not only had the most powerful hardware configuration at the time, but the cross-border gameplay of tablet (Pad) + mobile phone (Phone) can even be said to have completely maximized the diversity brought by the opening of the Android system.

Of course, due to the limitations of Android tablets themselves, ASUS has not continued the PadFone product line to this day, but ASUS's pursuit in the field of mobile phone technology has not stopped.

On December 15, ASUS held Zenfestival 2015 in Beijing and brought the "Eagle Eye Phone" ZenFone Zoom. This time, ASUS focused its technology on camera imaging, the most competitive area in the mobile phone industry.

Compared with Nokia, you would prefer to eat the "Oreo" of Asus

The biggest feature of ASUS ZenFone Zoom is undoubtedly the exaggerated camera area on the back. This exaggerated feeling last appeared on Nokia's late-model Lumia 1020.

It’s still “Oreo”, but the pastry chef was changed from Nokia to Asus, and there are still significant differences in ingredients and taste.

Two years ago, Nokia Lumia 1020's camera used digital zoom instead of optical zoom, which was seen by many as a very smart move. Although digital zoom would cause a loss in photo quality, it could effectively control the thickness of the entire phone and make the phone look more like a mobile phone.

Today, ASUS ZenFone Zoom uses a higher quality optical zoom solution. However, with the first periscope optical lens and a 10-lens solution in cooperation with Japan's HOYA Optics, ASUS ZenFone Zoom maintains the appearance of a mobile phone to the greatest extent. ASUS claims that it is 4.5 times thinner than the optical zoom mobile phones currently on the market.

Of course, most importantly, the starting price of 2,799 yuan, the metal + leather body, the increasingly mature Intel processor, and the support of features such as fast battery charging and LTE, also make the overall configuration of ASUS ZenFone Zoom more balanced except for the imaging part, making it a mobile phone that can take good photos rather than a camera that can make calls. In addition, the Android system upgraded to Lollipop is much more user-friendly than the previous "Oreo" Windows Phone that didn't even have Alipay.

As a Taiwanese brand for tech geeks, will ASUS become the next HTC?

Among the current mobile phone brands, more and more are focusing on marketing and fewer and fewer are focusing on technology. Apart from ASUS, which has launched products from PadFone to Hawkeye, there is also HTC from Taiwan, which has been able to impress people with innovative mobile phone manufacturing technology.

As a pioneer in the mobile phone industry, HTC's current situation is regrettable. The UltraPixel camera can only be seen as a flash in the pan. The all-metal body and three-stage unique design that once surpassed the level of Apple's iPhone have become important factors for subsequent imitators to sell well in the market. Coupled with the high pricing strategy, the main reason for HTC's rapid decline is due to its mistakes and failures in market judgment and control.

Compared with HTC, ASUS has a more pragmatic attitude towards the mobile phone industry. From the current ZenFone product line, you can see entry-level thousand-yuan phones, selfie gadgets, large-battery products, and the latest high-end ZenFone Zoom that focuses on differentiation, meeting the diverse needs of different users in the market.

It is true that the industry always needs manufacturers that delve into technology, and pragmatic ASUS seems to be smarter than HTC, but this does not necessarily mean that it has a better market prospect.

Whether it is the previous "China Cool Union" or the current "Citi Girl", domestic mobile phone brands are increasingly recognized by consumers, and their market swallowing capacity is astonishing. Even from a product perspective, judging from the system design that most affects the user experience of mobile phone products, ASUS's ZenUI, which is not outstanding, still has a long way to go to catch up compared with the distinctive operating interfaces of domestic manufacturers.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.