After releasing three smartwatches including last November's ZenWatch 3, Asus looks set to discontinue the development of any future smartwatches after poor sales.
That's according to sources from the company's supply chain, who indicated the device has performed worse than expected since becoming the last Android Wear device to launch before the February update.
The whispers indicate that shipments of the ZenWatch family products from the supply chain currently average around just 5,000-6,000 units a month. They also suggest that Asus has outsourced the production of the ZenWatch 3 to Pegatron — one of its former offspring companies. This comes after the price tag for the ZenWatch 3 was recently snipped too.
Read this: When your smartwatch will update to Android Wear 2.0
While weak sales are cited as the reason for the company's apparent decision, it's also interesting to examine the rest of the backdrop. Both the Zenwatch 2 and ZenWatch 3 are finally in the crosshairs for the Android Wear 2.0 update, but the slow adoption, combined with these rumours, hints that there's dwindling confidence in the platform.
After all, Asus wouldn't be the only traditional tech company to run away from Android Wear. Sony doesn't appear to be planning a SmartWatch 4, Motorola is showing zero signs of getting back into the smartwatch game and Huawei's top brass have been saying they aren't really sure what smartwatches are for. And don't forget Samsung, which has been using its own Tizen software to run the show for some time.
Still, it's always smart to take rumours like this with a helping of salt, too. While it's entirely possible Asus is on the cusp of ditching the ZenWatch line, this could mean it is simply shaking up its smartwatch strategy. As with most noise of this nature, you can expect to hear more over the coming weeks and months.
Via: Digitimes
How we test
Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.
Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides.
He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror.