Update (Aug 28, 10:20 pm ET): By issuing a press release, Asus has put an end to speculations claiming that it doesn't intend to discontinue production of the Zenfone series.
What you need to know
- Zenfone 10 could be the last premium offering from ASUS under the Zenfone moniker.
- As part of bigger layoffs, ASUS is said to be dissolving the Zenfone team.
- The Taiwanese report further hints the company's primary focus would be on ROG phones.
ASUS has reached an ideal position in the industry when it comes to making unique smartphones, and while the recent Zenfone 9 and Zenfone 10 are great examples, they may soon be among the last of their kind. These aren't just top-tier phones but are very compact, making them stand out among the ever-growing flagships. Unfortunately, the era of small phones is in jeopardy if a new report is to be believed.
The report from a Taiwanese media outlet, TechNews (via NotebookCheck), suggests that ASUS is on the verge of killing the future Zenfones and dissolving its associated team in favor of its gaming mobile handset, the ROG Phone.
TechNews further mentions that the move is part of bigger layoffs that happened internally in ASUS for the PC department, and subsequently, the Zenfone team merging into the ROG team is a part of the company's team restructure, says a person familiar with the matter to the news outlet.
Nonetheless, the news may be disappointing for Zenfone fans and those who enjoy compact phones because they enable easy one-hand use and high-end features in a compact package. Additionally, the handset still has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which many of the best Android devices don't. Our Harish Jonnaladda resonates the same in his latest Zenfone 10 review.
Android Central has reached out to ASUS to confirm the reports and will update this article if/when we hear back.
As the NotebookCheck points out, the recent bootloader removal from the Zenfone 9 and Zenfone 10 was possibly the first sign of the eventual dissolution of the team. However, the company later confirmed to us that the removal of the bootloader wasn't intentional and it would come back momentarily. Since the unit is reportedly under restructuring at this point, the deduction is understandable.
Update
After a Taiwanese media outlet claimed that Asus was gearing up to kill the Zenfone series, as mentioned in the original article above, the company released a statement refuting the claims.
"We would like to address the rumor that ASUS Zenfone 10 will be the last generation of the series and the ASUS Zenfone product line will be shut down. This is not true, " the statement reads.
Asus further mentions that it is committed to its smartphone business and customers and will continue producing its two primary smartphone series: the ROG and Zenfone. Additionally, it also teased its 2024 product lineups, which would presumably include the Zenfone 11.
Asus Zenfone 10 is the latest premium offering from the company that packs in top tier specs in a compact form factor. It is ideal for one-hand use that most best Android phones don't offer.
