The next ZenFone series seems to be closer than we
have expected. After delaying the ZenFone 4 smartphones for several months last
year, Asus plans to shorten the time span between new releases.
According to Asus' CEO Jerry Shen, we should expect
the first ZenFone 5 smartphones to be unveiled as early as March. However, it's
unclear whether they will be announced at MWC (Mobile World Congress) or during
a dedicated event later on.
Either way, it looks like the Asus ZenFone 5 series
is almost ready for prime time since the first device has just been certified
in Russia. The Asus ZenFone 5 Lite is probably a mid-range handset that will
pack a 6-inch display and a Qualcomm chipset.
Apparently, the letters and numbers in the phone's
model number (ZC600KL) refer to some of its specs. The letters “KL” are meant
to confirm the ZenFone 5 Lite is equipped with a Qualcomm processor and that it
includes LTE support.
Also, the number “60” in the model number might
suggest the phone sports a large 6.0-inch display. It remains to be seen if the
display will feature an 18:9 aspect ratio or not. That's about all we know
about the first ZenFone 5 series smartphones that appeared online, but we
believe more information on other devices should pop up sooner rather than
later.
