Asus launches new ZenFone Live (L1) for $150CDN

Now, the confusing bit was that there was a ZenFone Live already earlier on in 2017, but this Live is the Live (L1)


Now there are 2 versions of the L1, an "Android Go" variant and a ZenUI variant.  I believe the Go one is going to India, and we'll be seeing the ZenUI model.

The biggest factor for the L1 is that it's going to be only $150CDN.

Now, let's not expect a lot out of a $150 phone, so it's going to be scrimping on specs, but we all know a few folks out there who are finally getting rid of their flip phone and don't need a lot of 'smart' in their smartphone.  Or it's a teen that we want to give the opportunity to text but want to limit some of that 'freedom'.  Maybe this is it.

What do you get for that $150?
  • 5.5" @ 2246x1080
  • Snapdragon 425 1.4GHz x4
  • 2GB RAM
  • 16GB storage + microSD (2TB max)
  • 13MP (f/2.0)
  • 5MP (f/2.4)
  • 3000mAh
  • Android 8.0
Not so impressive, but it is a 2:1 ratio to give the most screen for the body and 3000mAh on that kind of processor would last a long time (they suggest like 4 days of just playing music).

So, letting it out for Q2 of 2018 means it's got to be released before the end of June.    We'll see if any of the carriers pick it up or if it'll just be online orders only.

ASUS Announces ZenFone Live (L1)

Entertainment-focused smartphone with Full View 18:9 display redefines the landscape for entry-level phones

KEY POINTS
  • More screen: 5.5" Full View 18:9 display in a compact, pocket-friendly 5" size offers an immersive cinema-like entertainment experience
  • More energy: High-capacity 3000mAh battery for up to 29hrs 3G talk time, 4 days music playback, 42 days 4G standby, or 18hrs Wi-Fi web browsing 1
  • More fun: Convenient face unlock; 13MP rear camera with PDAF 2 ; triple-slot SIM tray with dual SIM slots and a microSD card slot for up to 2TB expansion

MARKHAM, Canada, May 17, 2018 — ASUS today announced ZenFone Live (L1), a compact 5.5-inch entertainment-focused smartphone that's designed to put the fun back into mobile lifestyles.

ZenFone Live features a 5.5-inch Full View 18:9 display in an amazingly compact body that's as small as many 5-inch phones, offering an immersive cinema-like entertainment experience in a comfortable-to-hold form factor. The high-capacity 3000mAh battery now gives users more mobile freedom than ever, giving them all-day standby with extended talk times and the ability to enjoy their music or videos for longer. It's also equipped with up to a 13MP rear camera with phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) and a high-quality five-element lens 2, allowing users to capture amazing and memorable moments.

Offering class-leading convenience, ZenFone Live features face unlocking capabilities for easy hands- free unlocking. It also includes dual SIM slots and a microSD card slot for adding up to 2TB of extra storage.

ZenFone Live is available with Android ™ Oreo ® enhanced with the brand-new ASUS ZenUI 5 2, or with Android Oreo (Go Edition).

More screen!
The pocket-friendly 5.5-inch ZenFone Live is just as small and compact as many standard 5-inch phones, something made possible by its big and bright ASUS Full View HD+ display. This has ultra slim side

bezels and an 18:9 aspect ratio that not only makes it bigger, wider, clearer, and brighter (up to 400 nits) but also allows it to fit in a much smaller frame than a standard display. The result is more screen with less bulk, providing users with an immersive cinema-like experience in a lightweight body that's truly comfortable to hold.

More energy!
For non-stop entertainment, ZenFone Live is fitted with a powerful 3000mAh battery that just goes on and on, so users can drown out the world with all-day music, watch back-to-back videos or chat from dusk to dawn — if they've the stamina, so has ZenFone Live!

The high-capacity battery supports up to 29 hours of 3G talk time, up to 4 days of music playback, video playback of up to 9 movie-length videos, up to 42 days of 4G standby time and up to 18 hours of Wi-Fi web browsing 1.

More fun!
ZenFone Live is designed for maximum convenience, with class-leading features including face unlock. This allows easy hands-free unlocking of the, a very useful feature when the user's hands are occupied, wet or when wearing gloves.

At the rear is up to a super-sharp 13MP main camera with a 0.3-second PDAF focusing system, so
ZenFone Live is always on hand to capture life's magic moments — even the fastest-moving ones. A high-quality five-element lens ensures bright, crisp and clear pictures in any situation.

With ZenFone Live, users don't need to carry two separate phones: its handy triple-slot tray takes two 4G LTE SIM cards 3, and there's also a microSD card slot supporting up to 2TB of extra storage. With this great feature, users can have two different phone numbers, and add as much storage as they need for their music, photos, videos and other personal stuff.

With a choice of four vivid metallic colors — luscious Midnight Black, sophisticated Shimmer Gold, chic Rose Pink and tasteful Space Blue — ZenFone Live lets users make their own bold style statement and let their individuality shine.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING
The ASUS ZenFone Live L1 is planned for a Canadian release within Q2 2018. MSRP is $149.00 CAD.

1 Usage times calculated using current measurement and typical battery capacity. Results may vary depending on test conditions.
2 Features and specification may vary by model.
3 Both SIM card slots support 3G WCDMA / 4G LTE network bands, but only one SIM card can connect to 3G WCDMA / 4G LTE
service at a time.