From CNET: You may know Asus from its laptop business, but when it comes to smartphones in the US, it's strictly, "Asus who?"
Asus is the world's fifth-largest PC manufacturer, but wants to expand its presence in the faster-growing mobile business, where it has a minimal presence in the US. It hopes to change that by pitching attractively priced smartphones directly to customers, tapping into the market of consumers who eschew traditional wireless service contracts.
"We already have a very strong foundation for the rest of the world," Asus Chairman Jonney Shih said. "I think if we can grab a good portion from the unlocked [market] first, I think that's already a good start."
By going after consumers with solid, but affordable products, Asus hopes to build its reputation in the mobile business. From there, he added, Asus plans to expand its relationships with US wireless carriers. "That's the step-by-step approach," Shih said.
Shih discussed his company's US plans in an interview after an event Monday at Gotham Hall, where he announced that Asus will start selling its new flagship ZenFone 2 in the US and Canada on Tuesday. The Intel-powered, 5.5-inch-display smartphone begins at $199 for 16 gigabytes of storage, with a 64GB version priced at $299 -- both offered unlocked and contract-free. The phones will sell directly to customers through Amazon.com, Newegg.com, Groupon.com and B&H in the US and NCIX.com and a few other venues in Canada.
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