Key Takeaways
UPDATE: 08/29/2023 06:00 EST BY ROLAND UDVARLAKI
ASUS launched an official assertion refuting the latest rumors in regards to the firm discontinuing its Zenfone lineup.
The corporate revealed a brand new submit on its web site with a brief assertion, confirming that the rumors are certainly improper, and that ASUS intends to proceed and preserve its two principal telephone companies and product traces.
“We want to tackle the rumor that ASUS Zenfone 10 would be the final technology of the collection and the ASUS Zenfone product line might be shut down. This isn’t true. We are going to proceed our two principal telephone enterprise product traces, the ROG Cellphone and the Zenfone. ASUS has a robust dedication to our smartphone enterprise and clients. Please reference our Q2 earnings name for extra data. Please keep tuned for our 2024 product lineups.”
The ASUS Zenfone lineup has all the time been a fan-favorite, and the most recent Zenfone 10 was one in every of our favourite compact flagship of 2023. The final two generations of Zenfone smartphones obtained numerous reward for his or her glorious specs, compact type issue, and only a few downsides. ASUS even saved the three.5mm headphone jack, and packed its gadgets with premium parts that many different producers have given up on a few years in the past.
A brand new report from Technews Taiwan (through Android Authority) claims that ASUS is restructuring its cell division. As a part of the method, the corporate might reduce down sure departments, divisions, and operations. Sadly, one of many victims of this restructuring might be the Zenfone division, which is claimed to have ceased operations and shut down. The report claims that workers have been absorbed into the ROG Cellphone group and have been moved to different divisions throughout the enterprise, and we are able to’t rule out layoffs.
Based on the report, the Zenfone 10 might be the final system within the collection, for the reason that group managing the system has ceased operations and it’s not there. ASUS additionally stopped permitting bootloader unlocks earlier this month, and the corporate even eliminated firmware from its web site just a few weeks in the past. Whereas these may not be associated, it looks like the choice might have been made some time in the past, and the fast shutdown may not be all that stunning.
Ought to ASUS discontinue the Zenfone collection?
The primary-generation Zenfone gadgets had been introduced in 2014 at CES in Las Vegas. Since then, the Zenfone collection has change into a preferred model, particularly amongst those that love small smartphones. ASUS has seemingly remained the one firm to proceed creating compact cell gadgets with flagship specs, and if the rumors become true, it’ll be a giant blow to the whole Android smartphone ecosystem. The lack of the ASUS Zenfone lineup would disappoint hardcore followers, and small telephone fans who relied on ASUS’s gadgets for a number of years.
Whereas ASUS isn’t a large participant within the smartphone market, it has a big portfolio of gadgets, and it’s been available on the market for a number of years. The report of the corporate shutting down one in every of its most outstanding divisions appears stunning. Nonetheless, it’s not all that surprising given ASUS by no means marketed its merchandise and was by no means a giant participant.
ASUS by no means tried to compete with the likes of Samsung and Google, and it’s potential the Zenfone collection weren’t promoting in addition to the corporate would’ve hoped. The present financial downturn might’ve made issues even tougher to justify and run. Due to this fact a shutdown wouldn’t be too stunning. We are able to solely hope and speculate that the ROG Cellphone lineup will live on and supply highly effective specs and gaming-focused options for a distinct segment market within the coming months and years.
With that stated, we are able to’t rule out the opportunity of one other, recent new lineup. We are able to solely speculate, however there’s a risk this might assist ASUS reshuffle its enterprise and proceed creating much more smartphones, doubtlessly opening the door for much more gadgets at a variety of worth tags. The transfer might assist ASUS set up itself as a key participant, and tackle Motorola, OnePlus, and different manufacturers providing low-end, midrangers, and high-end smartphones.
As all the time, take all of this with a heavy grain of salt. It’s an unconfirmed report, and nobody is aware of what’s happening behind the scenes till ASUS verifies the rumors instantly, and publicly. We need to proceed seeing the Zenfone lineup within the close to future. Shoppers want extra decisions as the present market has already made Sony cut back operations, and each LG and HTC have give up the cell markets after they struggled to make a dent within the extraordinarily difficult smartphone house.
The Asus Zenfone 10 takes inspiration from the Zenfone 9 and brings highly effective 2023 {hardware}, such because the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, to the corporate’s compact smartphone. In order for you a small telephone that performs in addition to or higher than most others available on the market, that is one to contemplate.