One of the big announcements to emerge from CES was the unveiling and introduction of a new ASUS smartphone, the ASUS ZenFone AR. This is a smartphone which comes packed with a number of high-profile specs, although, its big selling points is not what it has, but what it can do. Like some smartphones, this is a Daydream-ready smartphone. Like some smartphones, this is a Tango-enabled smartphone. Like no other smartphone, this one supports both of the platforms. Which makes the ZenFone AR a smartphone that is truly – augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) ready. Yes, if you are looking for a smartphone which can do it all, then the ASUS ZenFone AR is certainly going to be the one to consider in 2017. Its compatibility with both AR and VR, really does mean that this is a smartphone that is future-proof. Throughout this year, the amount of content that will be available for both Daydream and Tango is going to increase significantly and the ZenFone AR is going to be a device ready to take advantage of any and all advancements in both industries.
AR and VR compatibility aside, the ASUS ZenFone AR adopts the now-typical ASUS look and feel, while also coming loaded with some of the best in class specs. For instance, the 5.7-inch included display makes use of a QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution. While inside, you will find 6GB RAM, 32GB storage and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 quad-core processor. And for those looking for an even more powerful version, there will be an 8GB RAM model as well. As you might expect with a Tango-enabled smartphone, the cameras on this phone are excellent. In among the various sensors needed for Tango, the rear camera setup is fronted by a 23-megapixel camera. While around the front you will find an 8-megapixel camera. The battery powering the ZenFone AR is a 3,300 mAh battery and this is a smartphone that comes running on Android 7.0 (Nougat), the latest version of Android.
Unfortunately, if you are hoping to pick up the ASUS ZenFone AR as soon as possible, then you will have to wait a little as it is not scheduled for release until Q2 of 2017. Likewise, ASUS has yet to reveal the price of this AR and VR-supported smartphone. Although for what is on offer, it does stand to reason that this is going to be a premium-priced smartphone. After all, this is just about as premium as it currently gets. In the meantime though, you can take a closer look at the ZenFone AR in our hands-on gallery below.
