Asustek Computer has announced ZenFone 3 Zoom, an ultra-thin 5.5-inch smartphone with a 5000mAh battery and a dual-camera system. The ZenFone 3 Zoom features dual-camera system consists of a main camera with an f/1.7-aperture, 25mm wide-angle main lens paired to a 12-megapixel Sony IMX362 sensor with large 1.4µm pixels (1/2.55in sensor size); and a 59mm, 12-megapixel zoom camera with an instant 2.3X optical zoom and a 12X total zoom. This setup ensures sharp focus for subjects at any distance, the vendor said. ZenFone 3 Zoom also has the first Asustek SuperPixel Camera that enables shooting in night-time or low-light environments. The smartphone is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 625 14nm processor, while the high-capacity battery also gives the ZenFone 3 Zoom the ability to double up as a power bank to charge other devices.

Samsung Electronics has announced mass production of the Exynos 7 Dual 727 mobile application processor (AP) designed specifically for wearable devices with 14nm FinFET process technology. Powered by two Cortex-A53 cores, the Exynos 7270 makes full use of the 14nm process, delivering 20% improvement in power efficiency when compared to its predecessor built on 28nm, and thus notably extending the battery life, Samsung said. By integrating Cat.4 LTE 2CA modem, the new AP allows wearables to connect to a cellular service as a stand-alone device. Tethering and data transfer between devices is also possible with its embedded WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. In addition, integrated connectivity capabilities support FM radio, and location-based services with GNSS (global navigation satellite system) solutions.

Samsung Electronics has begun mass production of Exynos 7 Quad 7570, the company's newest mobile application processor (AP) built on 14nm process technology for the budget smartphone market as well as other IoT devices. Last year, Samsung adopted advanced 14nm FinFET technology for its premium processors and has since expanded the adoption to other segments, bringing premium features to more affordable smart devices. Exynos 7570, with four Cortex-A53 cores in 14nm, delivers 70 improvements in CPU performance and 30% improvement in power efficiency when compared to its predecessor built on 28nm. The new Exynos also offers a fully connected mobile experience by integrating a Cat. 4 LTE 2CA modem and various connectivity solutions, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, FM radio and GNSS. Additionally, with design optimization and feature consolidation for components such as PMICs and RF functionalities, Exynos 7570 reduces the total chipset size by up to 20%, giving manufacturers better ability to craft slimmer smartphones, according to Samsung. It supports screen resolution up to WXGA, record and playback of videos in Full HD, and improved ISP (image signal processor) for 8Mp/13Mp front and back cameras.