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Aloysius Low/CNET
Asus is going all out with its ZenFone line, with plans to release up to seven new models in 2016.
Jerry Shen, CEO of the Taiwanese electronics giant, told the Taiwan-based DigiTimes this week: “The 2016 ZenFone family will include one premium ZenFone Deluxe, two models of the mainstream ZenFone Laser, one ZenFone Selfie and ZenFone Max, and one or two ZenFone Go models.”
But that’s not to say Asus is done with 2015 just yet. At September’s IFA trade show in Berlin, the company is expected to unveil the Zoom and Max variants of the 5.5-inch handset, the former of which is fitted with a 3x optical zoom camera and the latter a 5,000mAh battery.
It comes after the company last week announced the ZenFone 2 Special Deluxe Edition, the selling point of which is 256GB of internal storage. This particular model has only been confirmed for a release in Brazil so far.
Already released versions of the phone include a Deluxe Edition and the Laser and Selfie variations, both of which house more robust cameras than the original model.
The second-generation ZenFone range debuted in Taiwan in March before launching in the US two months later. It offers several variations, including ones with 2GB of RAM and a flagship version with both 4GB of RAM and up to 64GB of storage.
CNET’s review of the ZenFone 2 in May gave the handset points for its sharp screen and lowlight camera but dinged it for its relatively poor battery life and cheap feel. The Deluxe Special Edition will be available in two designs — Carbon Night and Drift Silver — and is set for a September release in Brazil, though Asus has yet to provide pricing or information on further availability.
