bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

additionalInfoBoxes

quizIds

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Andrew Barclay

This article originally appeared on ABACUS
Asus is bringing its $110 Android Go phone to the US.
At first blush, it might seem like a strange decision to bring a budget smartphone to a market that sells more phones over $500 than anywhere else.
But, it also kind of makes sense: the phones offer an affordable alternative for those who don’t need all the bells and whistles. Android Go, a stripped-down version of Android, is designed to run on low-end smartphones with less processing power.

The ZenFone Live L1 comes with a 5.5-inch screen, a low-end Snapdragon 425 processor and just 1GB of RAM. On the storage front, it offers 16GB -- not much compared to premium phones but decent enough for a phone like this.
It also has an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel camera on the front.
It’s got a few welcome surprises, too. There are two SIM slots and room for a microSD.
There’s even a face unlock feature -- something Asus has included instead of a fingerprint sensor. The problem: The facial recognition feature in many Android phones uses 2D scanning. It’s not as secure as Apple’s Face ID, which relies on an infrared camera and dot projector instead of just the front camera.
ZTE releases the first Android Go smartphone in the US
The L1 isn’t the first Android Go phone released in the US this year.
ZTE’s Tempo Go -- the first smartphone with Android Go brought to the US -- has a smaller screen and only half the storage -- but is cheaper at US$80. While the Alcatel 1X -- which has comparable specs (plus the added benefit of a fingerprint sensor) and costs less than US$100-- has less than stellar reviews.

For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters, subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast, and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report. Also roam China Tech City, an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus.



Huawei returns to the top of China’s mobile phone charts for first time in 4 years: IDC

Huawei’s Pura 80 series roll-out in Dubai is latest move in global smartphone push

Samsung bets on slimmer AI foldable phones to challenge Apple, Chinese rivals

Samsung’s quarterly profit likely to drop 39% on weak AI chip sales

Smartphones

Asus’ $110 Android Go phone gets US release

One thing you immediately notice about the ZenFone Live L1 are the bezels. (Picture: Asus)

Abacus

Tech

Big Tech

It’s not the first Android Go phone to target American budget smartphone users


More companies are bringing Android Go phones to the US. The latest from Asus has 1GB RAM and 16GB storage -- not bad for a budget smartphone. But what's more surprising is that it also features a face unlock feature in lieu of a fingerprint sensor.


Asus

Asia Tech

Android

Abacus - China Tech News