Big or little Zenfones, more people should have their hands on them

Whereas final 12 months’s swirling rumors that ASUS’ Zenfone line was at an finish turned out to be flawed, these wanting critically on the new Zenfone 11 Extremely would possibly nonetheless really feel that the stories have been true in spirit. The gargantuan new mannequin definitely doesn’t look very similar to the virtually uniquely compact Zenfone 10. As a substitute, it bears greater than a passing resemblance to the late 2023 gaming-focused ROG Cellphone 8 Professional, each inside and outside.

At face worth, then, we’ve seen a lot of the Zenfone 11 Extremely earlier than, and it’s onerous to disregard voices that query: “Is that this actually a Zenfone?” This isn’t the very reasonably priced, little however mighty flagship that’s earned a small cult following. I definitely miss the pocketability, grippy again, and sensible use of the shape issue, such because the fingerprint swipe gestures, that made final 12 months’s Zenfone 10 some of the compelling little telephones available on the market.

In the event you’ve not learn our Zenfone 11 Extremely evaluation but, you’ll be happy to know that ASUS continues to supply the acquainted back-tap gestures and stock-like UI, and has imbued the vary with a stronger triple digicam array and a few new AI options. ASUS claims it needed to carry all the very best bits of Zenfone to prospects demanding a bigger type issue, and it has succeeded in that effort.

Whether or not that’s the precise logic working within the higher echelons at ASUS HQ, we are able to solely think about. What we do know is that, regardless of spectacular {hardware} and strong opinions, ASUS doesn’t have the all-important service and retailer partnerships that might assist put extra of its Zenfones into shopper’s arms. You may’t simply stroll right into a retailer to purchase one, which limits Zenfone’s attain to those that already find out about it.

Traditionally delayed US delivery dates additionally haven’t helped generate the extent of enthusiasm required to dent the market’s choice for iPhones, and Galaxies to a lesser extent. Actually, availability is holding the Zenfone again from taking up the very best flagship telephones greater than something associated to {hardware}. ASUS isn’t alone right here; we’ve seen different manufacturers, resembling Sony’s Xperia sequence, hit an identical wall within the US market.

After all, we’re not aware of ASUS’ gross sales information. But when, hypothetically, the smaller Zenfone will not be fairly shifting the items required to maintain growth (for what it’s value, ASUS says it’s proud of the Zenfone 10), reusing the ROG’s design and internals is an affordable option to reduce prices. Different compact telephones have struggled to chop by way of previously; even Apple’s iPhone SE doesn’t shift the numbers of its greater counterparts.

If there’s any benefit to the rumors and Zenfone is to reside on, it’s attainable that we’re taking a look at a extra mainstream model of ROG going ahead. Stripping the telephone of its area of interest gaming options, resembling RGB lighting, shoulder triggers, and a second USB-C port, leaves room to undertake mainstream attracts like glass supplies, superior digicam applied sciences, and novel concepts like AI summarization.

Whereas shedding the compact type issue can be a disgrace, a powerhouse flagship aggressively priced at $899 — making it cheaper than the Galaxy S24 Plus and Pixel 8 Professional — is unquestionably a win for an business that’s turn into reasonably complacent with its plus-sized flagships. As tempting as it’s to dwell on ASUS’s portfolio, it’s value remembering what the Zenfone 11 Extremely provides within the grand scheme. Its huge show, quick charging, very good efficiency, and versatile cameras, are onerous to dismiss at this value. So long as you realize the place to purchase the telephone, after all.

Nonetheless, all of this chatter could also be a moot level. The little Zenfone 10 isn’t even a 12 months outdated but, so it’s reasonably untimely to speak concerning the demise of small ASUS telephones. It launched in July 2023 too, so there’s an out of doors probability we nonetheless would possibly see a compact Zenfone 11 launch halfway by way of the 12 months. Nothing in ASUS’ playbook says it might probably’t have each a small and huge Zenfone in any case, and the Extremely moniker leaves hope for compact lovers that we’d see one other entry within the sequence within the not-too-distant future.