Asus at CES 2017 unveils Zenfone AR and Zenfone 3 Zoom

January 4, 2017 Categories: News, ZE553KL, Zenfone AR by 0 Comments

With a few leaks leading up to CES 2017, Asus did lose some of the surprise factor, but none the less, things are now official.

We are about half way between the Zenfone 3 and Zenfone 4. This gives Asus the opportunity to bring forward a couple new phones to stir things up once again.

Welcome the Zenfone AR (ZS571KL) and Zenfone 3 Zoom (ZE553KL) to the line-up.

Prices? Zenfone 3 Zoom is $399. Not yet unveiled. The Zenfone 3 Zoom is coming February 2017 and the Zenfone AR is coming Q2 2017.

So the Zenfone 4 rumors were just that. And think about it. Why bring out the Zenfone 4 now when you have these rather unique offerings to talk about? Prepare for Computex 2017 for Asus to unveil the Zenfone 4 line-up.

You may wonder about the Snapdragon 835 and the rumors that Asus would show off a phone sporting that processor. No, this did not happen. In fact the Zenfone AR is being featured with the S821 instead. Don’t worry because it’s a beast of a processor. I think there is also an outside possibility that the Snapdragon 835 could find itself inside the Zenfone AR (ZS571KL). How so?

Let’s think about when the Zenfone 3 Deluxe was announced. It was marketed with the S820 but after a month or two, we started seeing a version with the S821 processor. With the launch schedule of the 835 processor, perhaps the launch of the Zenfone AR will allow for a processor upgrade prior to launch. It’s something to watch for in the coming months. Obviously Asus couldn’t unveil the Zenfone AR at CES 2017 with the Snapdragon 835 because Qualcomm likely wants to keep thing under wraps for now.

Overall, this CES 2017 show was for two phones but these are conversation pieces. Having Google and Qualcomm with Asus on stage is saying something about where Asus is headed with their smartphone business. The company has never feared breaking new territory or taking risks. These two models of Zenfone are certainly thinking outside of the box. From a credibility and branding perspective, Asus gained a lot from this CES 2017 event.

Zenfone AR Image:

first-zenfone-ar-press-image

Zenfone 3 Zoom Image:

big-zenfone-3-zoom-press-image

Hands-On Videos:

Zenfone 3 (ZE552KL) in Canada sees price drop to $389

January 4, 2017 Categories: Canada, Price, Shopping and Deals, ZE552KL, Zenfone 3 by 0 Comments

At launch in Canada, the Zenfone 3 (ZE552KL) was priced at $429 or $419. In short time, now we’re seeing prices as low as $389. This is a darn attractive price for an unlocked smartphone with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. Both white and dark blue color models are available.

Sorry US shoppers, at this point the Zenfone 3 (ZE552KL) is only available in Canada. No word yet if Asus will bring this phone into the US this late in the release schedule.

zenfone-3-canada-price-drop

 

 

Latest CES 2017 teaser indicates 8GB RAM for Zenfone AR

January 4, 2017 Categories: CES, CES 2017 by 0 Comments

Asus just put out a fun teaser which says “Crack the code”. Thanks to the brilliance out there, the code has been cracked. The answer is:

8GB RAM

Considering the symbol in the teaser is indicative of the Zenfone AR, it’s safe to say it’s packing a whopping 8GB of RAM. Quite the statement from Asus and certainly headline worthy. Sometimes you have to hand it to Asus. They can break new ground like few companies out there. Certainly 8GB of RAM on a smartphone is pushing the boundaries but the question may be whether the Zenfone AR can make use of it.

Not much time to wait folks. One more sleep!

ces-2017-8gb-ram-zenfone-ar

A look at the Asus CES 2017 teaser images – Rumor Breakdown

January 3, 2017 Categories: CES, CES 2017, Opinion, ZE553KL, Zenfone 3 Zoom by 0 Comments

On the eve of the Asus CES 2017 event, let’s look at what’s being rumored so far and what we’re expecting.

First, let’s look at the teaser images in the recent past:

Image 1: “Level up! World’s best processor now fully unleashed the potential! Save the date: 01.04.17 #ASUS #ZenFone #Zennovation #CES2017”

ces-2017-new-teaser-image-6

This is the most interesting teaser of all. The rampant speculation is that Asus is teasing the fact they will show off a Zenfone sporting the upcoming Snapdragon 835. However, Qualcomm has posted accidentally about Asus being the first to use the Snapdragon 821 in a Project Tango / Daydream smartphone. The current “best processor” is indeed the 821. CES 2017 may be a tad early for the Snapdragon 835 unveiling. Can Asus pull of the impossible? For sure. If Asus can beat the competition and show off a Snapdragon 835 model, that would be nothing short of incredible.

Image 2: “One tap to see the darkness more clearly. 2 morphs into 1 for #ASUS #Zennovation at #CES2017! #ZenFone #SuperPixel”

ces-2017-new-teaser-image-5

The symbol in this above teaser image has been used by Asus in the lead-up to CES 2017. This may be the indicator of the Zenfone 3 Zoom (ZE553KL) along side the Zenfone AR.

Image 3: “Join the journey to unparalleled adventures and possibilities. #ZenFone 01.04.17 at #Zennovation #CES2017!”

ces-2017-new-teaser-image-4

The “Infinite energy” aspect of the above teaser image may be hinting at the massive battery that comes in the Zenfone 3 Zoom (ZE553KL). We have seen the Zenfone 3 Zoom battery specs as listed on  TENAA and it’s massive. It’s bigger than the battery found in the Zenfone 3 Max. Again, the symbol shown does indicate a dual camera.

TENAA lists X00GD – It’s not the Zenfone 4. Period.

January 3, 2017 Categories: News, Pegasus, X00GD by 0 Comments

Be careful what you read and what you believe. We’ve seen the numerous headlines spreading around the world via the internet. Calling this X00GD the Zenfone 4 is just wrong. It makes zero sense if you get into the specs of the X00GD which was recently listed in China’s TENAA website.

The model, which starts with “X00” is exactly what the previous few Zenfone Pegasus models have as well. See this screenshot shows the current Zenfone Pegasus models:

china-zenfone-pegasus-line-up-jan-2017

So just based on model number alone, you can see where this is going. Once you consider the specs as listed on the TENAA website, you will realize there is no way the next generation Zenfone 4 could be this low-end.

X00GD (Zenfone Pegasus) Specs listed on TENAA:

  • 5.2-inch display
  • MediaTek MT6750 processor (1.5GHz)
  • Android 7.0 Nougat
  • 2 / 3 / 4GB RAM configurations
  • 16 / 32 / 64GB storage configurations
  • 8.85mm thick
  • 13MP rear and 8MP front cameras
  • 4,850mAh battery

What stands out is the thickness because the Zenfone 3 has been built for quality. The Zenfone 4 would meet or exceed what Asus put out in the Zenfone 3. The X00GD is not a step up. Not even close.

The battery is quite massive indeed and it makes the X00GD in a class beyond what the Zenfone Max series can provide.

tenaa-leak-mystery-zenfone-x00gd

[source: TENAA]

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