Asus could be open to possible merger: CEO

Asus could be open to possible merger: CEO
PHOTO: Asus could be open to possible merger: CEO

TAIPEI - PC maker Asus is open to all possibilities, Asus CEO Jonney Shih said yesterday in response to recent speculation of a merger between Asus and Acer, another major PC manufacturer.

Reports indicate the initiation of a merger proposal between Acer and either Asus or Lenovo.

All PC makers have been pondering how to face challenges in the industry and Asus is no exception, Shih said in a public event yesterday, adding that the most pressing issue for Asus is to fully prepare itself for, and break through, the next wave of challenges.

Asus to Launch More Smartphones

Asus recently unveiled the new PadFone Infinity, its new flagship high-end product, which features hardware upgrades across the board, including the latest Snapdragon 800 2.2 gigahertz processor by Qualcomm, an enhanced camera with improved low-light and night time photography, and, most notably, the addition of a microSD memory storage capacity expansion slot.

Shih said yesterday that the company will certainly launch new mid- and low-range products in the future, stating that the smartphone market, previously treated by Asus as a secondary concern, has become a critical space with the rise of cloud computing. With the PadFone as a starting point, Asus will work to launch more quality products down the road, Shih said.

Asus previously indicated its intention to capture a share of the maturing mid-range smartphone market, and plans to launch "mini" versions of the Padfone, Memophone and Fonepad products to address different market segments.

Taiwan's Talents

Shih said that he felt proud of Taiwan's talent pool, which has become more competitive as a result of intense training. Although Taiwan's education has been criticised for training students expressly for test preparation, Shih expressed hope for the next generation, so long as students can develop their reasoning and innovation skills.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.