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The Zenwatch 2 is slimmer and sexier – but where’s our week-long battery life?

Asus has pulled back the curtain on its ZenWatch 2 wearable, with two slim and attractive models up for grabs. But will the promised one week of battery life actually be reality?

The original Asus ZenWatch was one of the biggest success stories of the initial wave of Android Wear smartwatches to hit stores, thanks to its seriously stylish design. Back in January we reported that a second offering was in the works, with the promise of a solid week of life between charges from Asus chairman Jonney Shih.

Now the official specifications for the Zenwatch 2 has been released and it’s looking good, with two sexy new models that are even slimmer than the last effort. However, there’s a serious question mark still precariously hovering above the one issue which leaves many smartwatch users frustrated: battery life.

Asus Zenwatch 2: Specs and design

In terms of tech, the two Zenwatch 2 models will be identical. The smartwatch pair both offer a Qualcomm processor, AMOLED screen and IP67 certification (making them completely impervious to dust and protected in water of up to 1m for 30 minutes at a time). And, of course, they’ll both run on Google’s rapidly maturing Android Wear platform.

Both Zenwatch 2 smartwatches will also feature a 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3 cover lens and will charge via a magnet charging cable.

The only real difference between the two new models is size. The WI501Q, which is the larger of the two, will measure 49 x 41mm while the WI502Q will measure just 45 x 37mm.

Both Zenwatch 2 watches will be available in silver, gun-metal or rose gold while the straps will come in a range of materials, namely metal, rubber and leather. The straps will even come with variable thickness, with both 22mm and 18mm widths to be offered.

Asus Zenwatch 2: Battery life

The one glaring omission from the information which Asus has released is any mention of the devices’ battery life – something which the company talked up in the past, promising a week’s worth of juice off a single charge.

Asus has told us that the Zenwatch 2 will last for longer than the original Zenwatch on each charge, but it doesn’t have specific figures just yet. As the device hasn’t been one hundred per cent completed yet, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out how many days it’ll survive between charges. Asus says Q3 for a final figure, so still a while to go.

Asus Zenwatch 2: UK price and release date

The final release date for the device is yet to be announced, although anywhere between the end of September and the beginning of 2016 is being mooted, so hopefully we shouldn’t have too long to wait before we know what’s what for real.

We’d imagine the Zenwatch 2 will hit the UK just before the end of 2015 (a full year after the original Zenwatch’s release), for around £199.

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