According to some new info which is coming from Taiwan, ASUS is planning to introduce their next-gen ZenFone 4 handsets in May. This information is based on input provided by “sources from Taiwan’s handset supply chain”. Sources are also saying that the ZenFone 4 devices will feature higher-end specs than the ZenFone 3 handsets, and will have higher ASPs (Average Selling Prices) than their predecessors, which essentially means that the ZenFone 4 devices will be more expensive.
ASUS is actually planning to ship 20 million smartphones in 2017, and the company’s ZenFone 4 devices are expected to account for the vast majority of sales, as was the case with their predecessors. The company managed to sell 17.5 million handsets last year, which is somewhat less than what they’ve been able to move in 2015 (20.5 million), so the company is looking to get back on the right path. As most of you know, ASUS had already introduced the ZenFone AR during CES in Las Vegas earlier this month, and that is quite an interesting phone which is both Tango and Daydream-enabled, which means it comes with both VR and AR features / capabilities.
ASUS introduced their first ZenFone 3 devices back in May 2016, they’ve announced three devices back then, the ZenFone 3, ZenFone 3 Ultra and ZenFone 3 Deluxe. The ZenFone 3 is inferior to the other two devices, and yet it comes with a really nice set of specs. The ZenFone 3 Ultra is the company’s huge phablet, and the ZenFone 3 Deluxe is ASUS’ current flagship. ASUS is actually expected to release a similar lineup this year, a lineup of ZenFone 4 devices which will cover the aforementioned categories, though we really don’t have any specific info just yet, but we’re expecting some info to leak in the coming weeks. Chances are, however, that the company’s new flagship ZenFone 4 smartphone will be fueled by the Snapdragon 835 64-bit octa-core SoC, while the other two devices will probably ship with Qualcomm’s mid-range chips, probably from the Snapdragon 600 series, maybe the Snapdragon 652. Android Nougat will come pre-installed on these devices, and on top of it, you’ll get ASUS’ ZenUI skin. In any case, stay tuned, more info will probably follow soon.