After three months of releasing the first Android 11 beta Build, Asus has finally started rolling out the stable update for the Asus Zenfone 6. The new update brings a revamped ZenUI along with other Android 11 goodies.

As reported by XDADevelopers, the stable Android 11 update with firmware version ZenFone 6_ZS630KL_TW_18.0610.2011.107 is rolling out. In this, the Model number and ‘TW’ indicates that it’s currently for Taiwan(home country). The update, apart from upgrading the OS from the old Android 10, brings changes like removing Avast Scan Engine, ZenUI interface, full-screen gestures, and more.

You can  take a look at the entire changelog here below:

• Upgrade the system to Android 11
• Back up your data before upgrading, and if you want to go back from Android 11 to Android 10, you can do so using an official package, but all your data will be purged.
• Some third-party software is not yet compatible with Android 11
• Remove private listening, ZenUI Help with one-handed mode.
• The power man function is integrated into the battery settings. Remove the Avast scan engine.
• The desktop removes options such as smart classification, alignment icons, icon suits, and more. Tap the screen space to spread the application icon.
• Import the new ZenUI interface design
• Adjust the quick set-up panel interface and support media control. Remove multi-window portals and add proximity sharing options (manually added)
• The Wi-Fi Auto-Download and Install setting for system updates is turned on by default
• Third-party desktop support uses full-screen gestures

EDITOR’S PICK: ASUS Adol 65W Gallium Nitride Charging Adapter launched for 199 yuan (~$29)

Previously, Asus began the recruitment for Zenfone 6’s Beta Testing way before the Android 11’s official announcement. However, the first beta came a week later from September 9 when Google released the first Android 11 stable update.

The ZenTalk forum post says it’s seeding to a limited number of users(as of now) and it’s probably to ensure the build doesn’t have crazy bugs. Nevertheless, the update is here and is likely to expand to other regions in the near future.

Although Asus hasn’t voiced a definite rollout schedule, going by the chronology, the Zenfone 7 and event the ROG Phone 3 should get it soon now.

UP NEXT: OnePlus Nord N100 gets December 2020 security update with even more fixes

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Like every other OEM, ASUS also opened Android 11 Beta registrations for ZenFone 6 aka ASUS 6Z last month. Now, after weeks, the company has finally released first-ever build for the selected users. The update comes with build number 18.0610.2009.37 and weighs around 1.4GB in size.

ZenUI on ASUS smartphones is now closer to stock Android than ever before. However, the company still takes time to roll out updates. For instance, Xiaomi and OPPO have already released Android 11-based MIUI 12 and ColorOS 11 for multiple devices. On the other hand, the Taiwanese company has only rolled out its first Android 11 Beta build for a single device.

Anyway, the update is here (via XDA Developers) and it brings all the core features of Android 11 like Chat Bubble, Notification History, Bluetooth in Airplane mode to name a few. Further, it finally adds support for gesture navigation for third-party features. We are not sure why ASUS waited until Android 11 to add it.

Interestingly, rather than adding new features, Android 11 for ZenFone 6 removes some old functions and apps like Private Listening, ZenUI Help, Smart group, Icon alignment, Icon packs, and Avast scanning engine. The new update also integrates PowerMaster features into Battery settings.

That said, although ASUS has seeded out the initial Android 11 Beta build for ZenFone 6, it is yet to announce a proper timeline regarding the delivery of subsequent beta builds and stable release.

UP NEXT: Asus Zenfone 7 Pro teardown video reveals new flip up camera mechanism

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ASUS is gearing up to launch the Zenfone 7 series next week. On the other hand, the Taiwanese company has opened registrations for Zenfone 6 (aka ASUS 6Z) Android 11 Beta. For those unaware, this phone launched with Android Pie and was updated to Android 10 late last year. The forthcoming update will be its second Android update.

The ASUS Zenfone 6 is known for offering stock Android like software experience apart from its signature flip camera. Both are expected to return for its successor, which is slated to launch first in the company’s home country om August 26.

Talking about the Android 11 beta program, users need to be on build number 17.1810.2008.171 to enrol. If you are a Zenone 6 user and want to try out Android 11 on your handset before anyone, make sure you are updated to the mentioned build and then, head over to “System update” in Settings. On this screen, tap on the gear icon present at the top right corner and finally, tap on “Enroll in the Beta Test Program”.

The recruitment is open till September 4 and selected users will be notified on September 9. The only requirement specified by ASUS is that your device bootloader shouldn’t have never unlocked. That means users who previously unlocked and relocked the bootloader may not get recruited for the program.

UP NEXT: Android 11 removes camera picker function in favor of the built-in camera app

(Via)

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OnePlus may have retired from making cheap flagship killers in 2019, but a lot of other brands have risen up to the occasion to take its place. The flagship killer segment, also known as the affordable flagship segment, got pretty crowded this year.

In 2019, you are spoiled by the amazing choices available under Rs. 40,000 in India or €600 in Europe. Brands like Xiaomi (Redmi), Realme, Asus, and OnePlus have extremely value for money smartphones that’s almost as good as the devices that cost up to Rs. 60,000 or €900. Personally, we found it very hard to narrow down 5-6 smartphones that stood out from the rest but after hours of discussions and elimination rounds, we have managed to pick 5 top affordable flagships for 2019.

So here are our picks for the Best Flagship Killers of 2019.

Redmi K20 Pro

The Redmi K20 Pro is one of the best flagship killers of 2019. While it wasn’t meant to be the successor to the POCO F1 for 2019, the phone offered exceptional features and premium design at an affordable price tag, much like the former series. It features the high-end Snapdragon 855 processor with up to 8GB RAM and 256GB storage and a beautiful 6.39-inch Super AMOLED display. Recently Redmi also announced the Redmi K20 Pro Premium edition with the new Snapdragon 855+ processor in China.

The Redmi K20 Pro came with a capable camera setup, a 48MP primary shooter paired with an 8MP telephoto lens and a 13MP wide-angle lens. Moreover, there’s a 20MP pop-up shooter onboard that ensures good quality selfies and a full-screen experience. Under display fingerprint and a 4000mAh battery with 27W completes the setup. Plus, the phone is already running Android 10!

Clearly, the Redmi K20 Pro is one of the best affordable flagship smartphones in the market today! Even with the K30 5G being announced, the K20 Pro would make for an excellent purchase right now.

The K20 Pro is available at a discounted price of Rs. 24,999 for the 6GB+128GB variant in India. The Mi 9T Pro (Redmi K20 Pro in Europe) retails for an aggressive price tag of €379.90 in Europe.

ALSO READ: Redmi 9 with Helio G70 arriving in early 2020, claims report

Realme X2 Pro

Realme’s new X2 series exists to take on Redmi’s K20 lineup. And so it’s no surprise that there’s an equivalent Realme model for the K20 Pro in this list. In fact, the X2 Pro is better than the Redmi model in several aspects. For example, the Realme X2 Pro comes with a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz screen refresh rate. It also has a faster Snapdragon 855+ processor and up to 12GB of RAM onboard. The camera setup is more feature-rich featuring a 64MP primary shooter with a 13MP telephoto lens, an 8MP wide-angle lens, and a 2MP bokeh lens. Plus, there’s a 4000mAh battery with a super-fast 50W fast charging, making for an excellent overall package!

The Realme X2 Pro starts at Rs 29,999 (6GB + 128GB) in India or €399 (6GB +64GB) in Europe.

OnePlus 7T

OnePlus smartphones are super fast and refined. The same applies to the OnePlus 7T. The phone offers a refined experience with Snapdragon 855+, UFS 3.0 256GB storage, 8GB RAM, and a 90Hz Fluid AMOLED display. Note that the Realme X2 Pro and Redmi K20 Pro feature the slightly slower UFS 2.1 storage. OnePlus cameras have come a long way since its inception and the 48MP + 13MP (telephoto) + 16MP (wide-angle) cameras are capable enough to come close to the premium camera experience.

The 7T was one of the first smartphones to get Android 10 update and with OxygenOS on board, you are bound to like almost everything about the device. The round camera housing might stand out a bit more than you would have imagined, but trust me, it grows on you in time. For a starting price of Rs. 34,999 (8GB + 128GB) in India and €559 in Europe for the same variant, the OnePlus 7T is one phone you can buy with your eyes closed.

Editor’s Pick: Realme trademarks “DART” and “SUPERDART” as names for its fast charge technology

ASUS ROG Phone II (128GB)

Nobody would have ever thought that one of the fanciest and the craziest smartphone of 2019, the ASUS ROG Phone 2 would be a flagship killer. But when we saw the pricing for its 8GB + 128GB variant in India, we were shocked! It was clear at launch that this variant will take on the OnePlus 7T in India.

The ASUS ROG Phone 2 comes with insane hardware targeted at gamers featuring Snapdragon 855+, 8GB RAM, a humongous 6000mAh battery with 30W fast charging and 10W reverse charging, a solid 120Hz refresh rate with 240Hz touch sampling rate, and a dual-camera setup that consists of a 48MP primary shooter and a 13MP wide-angle shooter.

You also get an in-screen fingerprint sensor, a dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack, an extra USB-C port on the side for accessories (so 2 ports in total) and special Air Trigger ultrasonic shoulder triggers to use during gameplay. The only real issue with the ROG Phone 2 is its size and weight, but if you can look past that, it is the ultimate gaming phone to buy in 2019.

The ROG Phone 2 starts at Rs. 37,999 (8GB+128GB) in India and €699.99 in Europe for the 8GB+128GB Strix Edition.

ASUS Zenfone 6(Z)

If we had to pick one underrated smartphone in this list, it would be none other than the Zenfone 6 or Zenfone 6Z (India). The phone offers incredible value for money but didn’t get the attention it deserved. One of its biggest highlights is the motorized flip camera featuring a dual-camera setup of a 48MP primary sensor and a 13MP wide-angle sensor. Because the rear camera is also the front camera, the Zenfone 6 is one of the best selfie shooters of 2019!

Other features include Snapdragon 855, up to 8GB of RAM, a large 5000mAh battery with 18W fast charging and 10W reverse charging, stereo speakers, a dedicated MicroSD slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It’s the only phone in this list to come with an IPS LCD screen and a physical fingerprint sensor at the back, but with HDR10 support, you will get rich colors and won’t really miss an AMOLED panel. And guess what, Zenfone 6 is already running stable Android 10!

Starting at just Rs. 27,999 for its 6GB + 64GB variant in India and €469 in Europe for the same variant, the Zenfone 6 kills most other premium flagships of 2019.

So these were our picks for the Best Flagship Killers of 2019. Do you think any other phone deserves a place on this list? Let us know!

UP NEXT: Best Budget Smartphones of 2019

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When ASUS took the wraps off the Zenfone 6, they promised the phone will get updated to Android Q and Android R. Android Q actually launched as Android 10 but ASUS’s promise didn’t change as the Zenfone 6 is now the latest flagship phone to get Android 10.

The update is just a little over 800MB and brings all the goodness of Android 10 from new gestures to new ways to customize your notification, and of course, dark mode. The changelog also mentions Support for Google Play System Update which is the new way certain updates will be delivered (via the Play Store).

The update is rolling out in the US as well as in India where the phone is known as the ASUS 6z.

With the Zenfone 6 out of the way, we hope the ROG Phone II will be next. The original ROG Phone is still stuck on Android Oreo, however, an update to Android Pie was confirmed recently following speculations that ASUS wouldn’t be updating the phone anymore. The Zenfone 5Z began receiving a beta version of Android 10 last month, so a stable update should arrive soon.

With Android 10 rolling out to the Zenfone 6 already, folks will definitely have more faith in ASUS. The phone is still a recommended device to purchase if you are looking for an affordable flagship. It has a notch-free screen, a large battery capacity, and dual-rear cameras that flip forward to double as the selfie cameras. It also keeps the audio jack and its new ZenUI is a near-stock version of Android with some useful customizations.

UP NEXT: Asus is the number one Taiwan brand of 2019 according to MOEA

(Via)

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How do you review the camera performance of a phone that uses its rear camera(s) as its selfie camera(s)? Do you give it the same score for both uses or do you use different parameters for the two usage scenarios? According to DxOMark’s review of the ASUS Zenfone 6 which has motorized flip cameras, you score both scenarios differently.

So if you were among those that thought the Zenfone 6’s DxOMark selfie camera score of 98, which crowned it the selfie king prior to the Galaxy Note10+ 5G’s arrival will be the same score for “its rear cameras”, then you are in for a surprise. Not only is the score different but it is significantly higher too.

The Zenfone 6’s rear cameras have been given an overall score of 104 by DxOMark but a breakdown reveals it scored 107 points for photo and 99 points for video.

The phone’s rear cameras are made up of a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and a 13MP f/2.4 ultrawide angle sensor. It has dual-LED flash, 4K video recording at 30fps, and EIS.

DxOMark praises the Zenfone 6′ fast and accurate autofocus, noise control, and color rendering even with flash turned on. It is even said to offer a level of detail that is close to that of devices such as the Huawei P30 Pro and outclasses the Xiaomi Mi 9 in overall texture preservation. A comparison shows it outperforming the Honor 20 Pro when it comes to the level of detail.

Where the Zenfone 6 falls short is in loss of sharpness towards the corners as against the center. Also, flare is said to be often visible when shooting in the direction of a bright source of light.

The ultrawide camera is the in-thing for a lot of phones this year and the Zenfone 6 doesn’t miss out on it. However, the fact that it lacks a telephoto camera means it falls short when it comes to zoom shots. Nevertheless, DxOMark’s review says the phone is “marginally better than a lot of phones with a single camera or dual-wide-cam” at 2x magnification.

For videos, it is one of the top-ranking devices, says DxOMark’s reveal. Other than recording in 4K by default, the Zenfone 6 is said to render textures well irrespective of the lighting conditions and even does it better than the Galaxy Note10+ 5G and the Xiaomi Mi 9. However, the level of detail starts to drop in very low-light conditions.

Based on the Zenfone 6’s camera performance, it sure is a recommended purchase for those who often record with a smartphone.

The full review is available for reading at the source link below.

UP NEXT: OPPO patents phone with Zenfone 6-style flip cameras

(Source)

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The ASUS Zenfone 6 is one of the flagship devices to consider if you are on a budget. It not only has flagship specs but its revamped ZenUI has gotten lots of praise for offering a near-stock experience while offering some pretty useful customization options. However, the highlight of the phone is its unique motorized dual rear cameras which rotate forward and double as front-facing cameras.

Following its launch, we expected more manufacturers would copy the design. There was even a leaked poster of a phone said to be the first device born from Meitu and Xiaomi’s partnership with a similar design but with three cameras. We all know how that ended. The Xiaomi Mi CC9 and Mi CC9e look nothing like that.

A new report has revealed that we may actually get a phone with such a design from the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, OPPO. Patent diagrams have shown that OPPO may be developing a phone with flip rear cameras.

The patent which was filed at the World Intellectual Property Office was discovered by the Indian tech site, Pricebaba. The diagrams show the device has a display with no notch, no punch-hole, and very thin bezels. The dual rear cameras are arranged the same way as that of the Zenfone 6 with an LED flash separating both sensors.

1 of 3

There isn’t a fingerprint scanner on the rear which hints at the device having an in-display fingerprint sensor, a feature the Zenfone 6 skips.

It remains to be seen if OPPO will eventually release a commercial product based on this design. Manufacturers are known to file patents for designs and technologies they may not eventually use, so we ask you not to raise your hopes.

UP NEXT: All OPPO Upper Mid-Range & Flagship Smartphones in 2020 will have 5G

(Source, Via)

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The ASUS Zenfone 6 is receiving a new update that brings August’s security patch as well as some new features and optimizations.

The update comes as version 16.1220.1908.189 and is rolling out globally. Below is the full changelog for the update.

• Video call tuning parameters updated.
• Supported more 18 settings in smart key.
• Updated audio parameter & quality Improved.
• General system & app stability improved.
• Optimized Translation Strings
• 2019 Jul. & Aug. security patch level updated
• GMS_9_0_201906_r1 updated
• Preload new Rajiko & HybridRadio APK for JP
• Preload new Netflix APK for BR

The changelog doesn’t reveal much of the key changes in the update, so the folks at XDA-Developers who have gotten the update have listed some of the new features that are not stated in the official changelog but bundled with the new update.

• New Smart Key Settings

The Zenfone 6 has an additional hardware button called the Smart Key. The key which can be used to trigger the Google Assistant is also customizable. The new update adds more options the key can be assigned to. Below is a list of the new ones:

• Toggle Hotspot.
• Toggle Bluetooth.
• Make a call.
• Show my QR code.
• Calculator- Open calculator, Open currency converter, Open unit converter.
• Clock- Open Stopwatch, Open Timer, Set an alarm.
• File Manager – Open Recent files.
• Gallery – Open photo album.
• Camera – Open camera, Take pictures, Record video.

It is said that the smart key can also work as a Call Answering Key and for snoozing alarms in the top-level settings.

• Google Lens Shortcut

The Zenfone 6 now has Google Lens built into the camera app. The Lens icon is positioned at the bottom right corner of the viewfinder.

• Call Volume Optimization

When your device restarts following the installation of the update, a notification asking to optimize the call volume pops up. This allows you to preset a call volume so you don’t need to adjust the volume while receiving a call.

If you own the Zenfone 6, you should check for the update. It may already be available even though you haven’t received a notification yet.

(Source)

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Update: The Zenfone 6 is now listed on the official website for $499 or $25/month. The page says “Temporarily Sold Out” but you can sign up to be notified. It is also listed on Amazon for the same $499 price but is sold by a third-party seller, Mobile Advance. It is said to ship in approximately 2 days.

If you are looking for an affordable flagship phone, you should consider the ASUS Zenfone 6. The phone not only costs less than a number of its competitors but also boasts features not available on some of them.

Launched back in May, the ASUS Zenfone 6 has received a lot of positive reviews; first for its design – a notch-less screen that covers nearly all the front; its motorized flip-out rear cameras which pull double duty as the front-facing cameras; its massive 5000mAh battery; and most importantly the revamped ZenUI which is cleaner, free of bloatware, and packs some pretty useful features you won’t find on stock Android.

After months of waiting, the ASUS Zenfone 6 is finally available in the US. The flagship is now available for pre-order on B&H Photo. There are two variants available – a 6+64GB version which is priced at $499 and a 6+128GB version which has a $549 price. You will be able to purchase any of the two configurations in either Midnight Black or Twilight Silver.

The store doesn’t list when the device will be available but you can sign up to be notified. At the moment, this is the only place the phone is listed. It is not even on the official ASUS site yet.

The Zenfone 6 sports a 6.34-inch FHD+ LCD display, a Snapdragon 855 processor paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There is a dedicated MicroSD card slot for storage expansion and you also get dual SIM support. The cameras are a Sony IMX586 48MP primary sensor and a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera. There is a 5000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4. The phone also has a dedicated button for calling up Google Assistant but it is also customizable. It also has stereo speakers and an audio jack.

The Zenfone 6 runs Android 9 Pie but ASUS has promised Android Q and Android R updates for the phone. It is already recruiting beta testers for Android Q and there are reports that it will be available in November for the phone.

(Source)

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When ASUS announced the Zenfone 6, it promised that the phone will get updated to Android Q and Android R. Now, it has begun recruiting beta testers for Android Q.

The recruitment is said to run from now up until November 24, after which the stable update should be released. Those who are selected will receive the latest beta release of Android Q as an OTA update. Below are the requirements for a beta tester as well as responsibilities:

Requirements

• Own a ZenFone 6 (ZS630KL).
• Be a member of ZenTalk and actively participate in the discussion of ZenFone on ZenTalk.
• Be willing to provide detailed information including IMEI, Serial Number(SN), Current Firmware for the beta test setting.
• Be able to read and provide feedback in English.
• Be familiar with the Android operating system.

Responsibilities

• Participate in every Beta version release and test on a daily basis.
• Report valid bugs with the correct format.
• Maintain confidentiality of the Beta Testing program.
• Be sure to post all beta-testing related issues in the beta restricted board.

If you meet the requirements, you can apply here.

You won't have to wait much longer…we promise.
https://t.co/FaebMoh8JY pic.twitter.com/fOGYzAhNLy

— ASUS North America (@ASUSUSA) July 27, 2019

We feel you, and we promise it's coming in just a few more days…we can't just say yet exactly when

— ASUS North America (@ASUSUSA) July 28, 2019

ASUS has also confirmed that the Zenfone 6 will be arriving in North America in a few days. The announcement was made on Twitter this weekend.

(Sources: 1, 2 | Via)

UP NEXT: Asus Zenfone 5Z gets another price cut in India, now starts at ₹24,999 ($362)

The post ASUS Zenfone 6 Android Q beta testers wanted appeared first on Gizmochina.

ASUS has released another update for the Zenfone 6 and the release note says the focus is on making the camera experience better.

The Zenfone 6 has dual rear cameras that rotate thanks to an electrical motor. One of the few tricks of the Flip Camera, as ASUS has termed the rear camera design, is that you can rotate the cameras to any angle between when it is in its default position and when it completes the 180° movement and is facing you. The new update improves stability when you rotate the camera. Below is the full change-log:

• Improved Camera Rotation Stability.
• Add Mobile Manager & Cleanup Launcher Shortcut.
• EIS Optimized for video recording.
• Optimized supernight mode texture and noise reducing.
• Removed the evening color cast in supernight mode.
• Fixed the flip mechanism on panorama mode.
• General system & app stability improved.
• Increased touch sound on/off toggle.
• Optimized power consumption.
• Optimized Translation Strings.
• Rearranged the position of “Retract camera” to 1st page at quick settings.
• Improved Call Quality.

The update doesn’t mention a security patch, so if you were expecting that, you will be disappointed.

The update changes the version number to 16.1220.1906.167. ASUS says the update is rolling out in batches based on serial numbers, so it may take a while before the OTA reaches everyone.

(Source, Via: 1, 2)

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The ASUS Zenfone 6 is getting a new update, the third since its launch in May. The OTA brings new features and updates the security patch.

The update is rolling out as version v16.1210.1906.156 and is nearly 400MB in size. It brings June 2019’s security patch, enables AR Core and enables 8x zoom in photo mode. Below is the full changelog:

• Enabled ARCore
• Improved Video Call Experience
• Camera:

1. Enabled 8X zoom in Photo mode.
2. Removed the time limit for FHD video recording.
3. Added the function to start/stop video recording with the volume Keys in the Camera app.
4. Improved Photo Image Quality on Noice Reduction.
5. Improved Camera Flipping Stability.

• Optimized Screenshot Stability and solved bug related to screenshot functionality.
• Enabled TaiwanMobile VoWiFi.
• Updated Security Patch to June 2019.
• Updated Translation Strings in Settings.

The update is rolling out in stages and should be available to more users as time goes on.

ASUS has really stepped up its game with the Zenfone 6 or ASUS 6z as it is known in India. It runs a new version of ZenUI that is closer to stock Android and it is also guaranteed to get updated to Android Q and Android R.

The Zenfone 6 has 48MP dual rear cameras that flip forward to double as the front-facing cameras. This allows the phone to have a near bezel-less display without the need for a notch or punch hole. The phone also packs a massive 5000mAh battery, a Snapdragon 855 chipset, an audio jack, and a triple card slot that allows you to use dual nano-SIMs and a MicroSD card at the same time.

(Source)

UP NEXT: OnePlus 7 gets June security patch and improvements in latest update

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Taiwanese tech giant ASUS recently took the industry by storm with the launch of the Zenfone 6 packing a flip camera design. The Zenfone 6 courts admiration for the well thought out design which ensures the dual rear cameras also double as the selfie shooters when the selfie camera is activated on the phone’s camera app.

The flip camera design is yet another clever way to trim bezels around the display. We have seen designs ranging from pop-up selfie cameras, slider design, punch-hole, notch design to even dual screens. Zack Nelson of the popular Youtube channel JerryRigEverything has given us a much-needed look at the internals of the Zenfone 6. If you think, the flip camera design is the only aspect where the device stands out, you are so mistaken.

The phone doesn’t have an IP rating as a result of the flip camera design but it is well sealed as was discovered during the dismantling. The glass back is held to the mid-frame with sticky glue and won’t go off easily, even when it is heated with a heat gun. The device comes with some wires and cables that can cut easily near the sides and that poses a risk to any attempt to open up the phone.

EDITOR’S PICK: Xiaomi India announces Mi Beard Trimmer, costs INR 1199 (~$17)

The flip camera is definitely the main attraction on the device. Since it is a dual camera setting, there are two camera cables that connect to the motherboard. The cables seem to be wrapped in a durable material but are also attached by non-standard connectors. Thus, they can’t be pulled out from the camera sensors as that would mark the end of the camera even though it won’t stop the phone from booting.

The device also comes with two motherboards that are separated by a thermal paste which could end up transferring heat between the two boards. The battery is also not held firmly by its adhesive as a little pry got it off. With this arrangement of the internals, the Zenfone 6 may be a difficult phone to repair but it is, no doubt, a beautiful phone to behold and handle.

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The ASUS Zenfone 6 is receiving yet another update following its launch less than a month ago. This new update also brings a new feature and optimizations to the cameras.

The new update comes as version 16.1210.1904.133. The changelog says “Super Night Mode” is now enabled on the ultra-wide camera (the 13MP sensor). With this, owners will be able to take better wide-angle photos in low-light. The update also improves camera rotation stability.

Below is the rest of the changelog:

• Get the weather displayed on the lock screen.
• Optimize the translation string in the settings.
• Improve system stability.
• Optimize UI animation.
• Optimize the headphone sound quality.

The update is rolling out gradually, so it might take a few days before it arrives on your device. If you don’t want to wait for the OTA, you can download the full firmware here, extract it into your phone’s internal storage and your phone should detect the update and alert you to install it.

(Via: 1, 2)

UP NEXT: ASUS Zenfone 6 gets 30th-anniversary edition with more RAM and storage

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The Zenfone 6 is one of the most surprising phones released this year. The phone not only packs flagship specs at an affordable price but also has a brand new user interface that has gotten much praise from reviewers.

Already available for purchase in Europe and Taiwan, the Zenfone 6 is also supposed to launch in India later this month. However, there is a lawsuit that ASUS is currently dealing with.

A Delhi High Court has ruled that ASUS can’t sell or use the Zenfone branding in India as the trademark belongs to Telecare Network India Pvt Ltd., an Indian company that sells feature phones and entry-level smartphones.

While ASUS has appealed the decision, it appears it doesn’t intend to wait for the new ruling, so it has decided to rename the phone. The new promotional page on Flipkart – its partner distributor, shows the Zenfone 6 will now launch as the ASUS 6z. It also reveals the phone will be announced on June 19.

Other than the name change, the ASUS 6z is the same as the Zenfone 6 sold in other markets. It has a 6.4-inch NanoEdge Display with Gorilla Glass 6 protection and a 92% STB ratio. There is a Snapdragon 855 processor inside, paired with up to 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage.

The ASUS 6z has a Sony IMX586 48MP primary rear camera that is paired with a 13MP ultra wide-angle secondary camera. Thanks to its motorized design, the rear cameras also double as the front-facing cameras. It is currently the phone with the highest selfie camera score on DxOMark’s camera ranking list.

The camera app packs a lot of features such as Super Night Mode, motion tracking video, 480fps slo-mo recording, HDR+, 180° horizontal and vertical panorama and lots more.

The ASUS 6z runs ZenUI 6 based on Android 9 Pie which has a near stock UI with tons of useful features including a system-wide dark mode. ASUS has also promised it will be updated to Android Q and Android R. Another selling point of the phone is its massive 5000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4.0 which should last up to 2 days on a single charge. It also has a 3.5mm audio jack and a dedicated MicroSD card slot.

UP NEXT: The ASUS ZenScreen Touch is a portable display for your smartphone or computer

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On May 16, ASUS had globally introduced the ZenFone 6 flagship phone. Yesterday, the Taiwanese firm had held a launch event in Taiwan to unveil the ZenFone 6 for the home market. The handset has been introduced with a starting price of NT$ 17,990 (~$575).

The ASUS ZenFone 6 will be available for buying starting from today in Taiwan. The base model of the phone with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage is priced at NT$ 17,990 (~$575). The higher variant with 8 GB of RAM and an internal storage of 256 GB costs NT$ 20,990 (~$670). Twilight Silver and Midnight Black are the two color variants of the smartphone for Taiwan.

The ASUS ZenFone 6 30^th Anniversary Edition with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of native storage has arrived in Taiwan with a price tag of NT$ 27,990 (~$893). The Anniversary Edition handset will be a limited edition model as the company will be only selling 3,000 units of it across the globe. The Anniversary Edition model comes with 30-month warranty. It can be availed in Matte Black color only. The Taiwanese firm has imprinted a special anniversary logo on its rear shell.

Editor's Pick: Asus blocked by Delhi High Court from using Zen or ZenFone branding in India/su_note]

ASUS ZenFone 6 Specifications and Features

The ASUS ZenFone 6 comes with a notch-less display of 6.4 inches. The IPS LCD panel offers 1080 x 2340 pixels full HD+ resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 6.

The ZenFone 6 is loaded with ZenUI 6 based Android 9 Pie OS. The Snapdragon 855 chipset powers the smartphone. It comes with a massive battery of 5,000mAh capacity that carries support for 18W rapid charging through USB-C. The huge battery can be used for fueling other devices at 10W charging rate.

There is no front-facing camera on ZenFone 6. The rear side of the phone is equipped with a 48-megapixel + 13-megapixel flip-up dual camera setup. After from snapping regular images from rear side, the dual camera module can be flipped up to capture selfie shots. The rear shell of the phone features a fingerprint scanner and it also equipped with a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm audio jack. The Taiwanese company has promised that it will be rolling out Android Q and Android R OS updates for ZenFone 6 users. Except for increased RAM and storage, the 30^th Anniversary Edition is packed with the same specs as the regular model.

UP NEXT: Redmi K20 Pro vs Asus Zenfone 6 vs OnePlus 7 Pro: Specs Comparison

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Asus’ Zenfone series of smartphones have fared well in the Indian market and thanks to the Zenfone Max Pro M1, the company has managed to establish itself in the overcrowded Indian smartphone market.

The company is now all set to launch the Asus Zenfone 6 in India and ahead of the launch, Asus is now entangled in some legal issues. The Delhi High Court has ruled that Asus has infringed on an existing trademark for the word Zen, which belongs to Telecare Network.

Telecare Network India Pvt Ltd, which claims to own the trademarks for Zen and Zen Mobiles had filed the case against Asus. The company sells feature phones as well as entry-level smartphones under this brand name and has claimed that the use of a similar branding by a competitor is damaging.

The Delhi High Court found these claims reasonable and restrained Taiwan-based Asus from selling any smartphone, tablet, or accessory with the ZenFone branding starting eight weeks after May 28th, i.e. July 23rd.

Telecare also claims that Asus used the Zen name to “ride upon its goodwill” when the company entered the Indian market back in the year 2014. On the other hand, Asus says that the word “zen” is common and has its roots in Buddhism.

However, Asus has appealed this decision and the next hearing is scheduled to take place on 10th July. So, either the company needs to win the next hearing or needs to change the branding for its smartphones in India.

Read More: ASUS rolls out Pie update to Zenfone Max Pro (M1) globally, updates Zenfone Max Pro (M2) too

As said, this comes just ahead of the launch of the Zenfone 6 smartphone in India, which is expected to take place on 16th June. It remains to be seen if this legal issue will impact the launch scheduled of the company’s flagship smartphone in one of the world’s biggest smartphones market.

(Source)

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Taiwan-based ASUS had held a launch event in Spain earlier this month to unleash the ZenFone 6 flagship phone. Apart from interesting flagship specs, the USP of the phone is that it is equipped with a unique pop-up camera. India’s Flipkart e-commerce site has a landing page for the smartphone which indicates that it will be launching soon in the country. According to Tech Radar, an anonymous source has revealed to it that the smartphone claim that it may go official in India on June 16. However, the Taiwanese firm is yet to confirm the launch date of ZenFone 6 for India.

The landing page of the smartphone on Flipkart has revealed plenty of information on its specs and features. It states that the phone is equipped with 6.4-inch NanoEdge Display and it is powered by Snapdragon 855 mobile platform. It features a flip camera system with the popular Sony IMX586 48-megapixel sensor. The 5,000mAh battery packed inside the phone carries support for Quick Charge 4.0.

Assisting the f/1.79 aperture 48-megapixel sensor inside the pop-up camera setup includes is a secondary 13-megapixel lens with 125-degree field of view. The camera module also includes laser autofocus and dual-LED flash. Since there is no front camera on the device, the rear cameras can flip up to capturing topnotch selfie shots. Some of the photography features that are available on the ZenFone 6 are Portrait Mode, Pro Mode, Super Night Scene Mode, 4K video shooting at 60 fps with EIS, up to 480fps slow-motion video recording and time-lapse. A fingerprint sensor is also available on the rear side of the device.

Editor’s Pick: OPPO Reno 10x Zoom Edition vs Huawei P30 Pro: Which One Is Better

The marvelous full HD+ notch-less display of the ZenFone 6 is protected by Gorilla Glass 6. It carries support for HDR10 and DCI-P3 color gamut. The handset offers a screen-to-body ratio of 92 percent. The SD855 chip on the device will be assisted by 8 GB of RAM. It will come with an inbuilt storage of 256 GB.  A lower variant featuring 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage could be also available in India. The ZenUI 6 based Android 9 Pie OS that offers near stock UI experience will come preloaded on the device.

In Europe, the two storage variants of the ASUS ZenFone 6 are respectively priced at 499 euros (~$556) and 599 euros (~$668). Last year, the ZenFone 5Z had rivaled with the OnePlus 6 phone in India. It is expected the upcoming ZenFone 6 will take on the recently released OnePlus 7 Pro smartphone.

UP NEXT: Asus Zenfone 6 gets a new update enhancing the Camera Experience

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Earlier this year, DxOMark Labs began ranking the selfie camera of smartphones. Up until today, the selfie king has been the Galaxy S10 5G with a score of 97. It has now been dethroned by the Zenfone 6 with an overall score of 98.

DxOMark has given the Zenfone 6 a photo score of 101, same as the Galaxy S10 5G and then surpasses it with a video score of 93, the best so far. The Zenfone 6 is able to achieve this because it uses its rear cameras (48MP + 13MP) for taking selfies thanks to the mechanical motor built into the camera module.

DxOMark praises its color rendering, white balance, and exposure. It also has a good dynamic range and focuses very well thanks to the laser-focus and PDAF system. The Zenfone 6 also provides “natural bokeh” when taking one-person selfies but struggles when it is a group selfie. With the dual-LED flash, you also don’t have to worry about your selfies coming out dark, however, you do have to deal with red eyes.

The Zenfone 6 beats the competition in video recording. It records in 4K by default with exceptional detail and low noise both indoors and under bright light. You can read the full review here if you wish.

(Source)

UP NEXT: Xiaomi launches a Makeup Mirror that doubles as a power bank

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The Zenfone 6 launched less than 2 weeks ago and it has been touted as ASUS’ best smartphone till date. The phone comes in three variants – 6GB RAM + 64GB, 6GB+ 128GB, and 8GB + 256GB. Today, ASUS unveiled a fourth variant which brings more RAM and storage. This limited edition variant has been released to celebrate the manufacturer’s 30th anniversary.

We also have a special edition #Zenfone 6 to celebrate our 30th year as a company. #computex2019 #WiserTogether pic.twitter.com/wb3VWAH4HL

— ASUS (@ASUS) May 27, 2019

The Zenfone 6 30th Anniversary Editon comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. With the dedicated MicroSD card slot, you can have almost 1TB of space if you grab a 512GB MicroSD card. Apart from the increase in RAM and storage, this limited edition also has a Matte Black finish with ASUS’ familiar concentric circle design and a special anniversary logo. The rest of the specs are the same as the other variants.

You get a Gorilla Glass 6 protected 6.4-inch Nano Edge IPS LCD with a 92% screen-to-body ratio and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. A Snapdragon 855 processor, a 5000mAh battery with Quick Charge 4.0, and a 48MP + 13MP dual rear camera combo that flips forward to double as the selfie cameras too. ASUS has also promised the phone will get updated to Android Q and Android R.

ASUS hasn’t released any details with respect to pricing and availability. Though they did say there will just be 3000 units available globally and the limited edition will have a 30-month warranty. Nevertheless, we expect it to sell for about €699.

This is the #ZenBook Edition 30! It's absolutely gorgeous! #WiserTogether #Computex2019 pic.twitter.com/jmX6OqKZwh

— ASUS (@ASUS) May 27, 2019

ASUS also announced a ZenBook Edition 30 which ditches aluminum or plastic for genuine Italian leather and 18-karat rose gold plated ASUS emblems along with matching premium accessories.

(Source, Via)

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ASUS‘s latest flagship, the Zenfone 6, was announced tonight in Europe. The successor to last year’s Zenfone 5z doesn’t come with any siblings this time around. However, it does pack some really nice features that will put the competition to shame.

Design and Specs

The Zenfone 6 has ditched the notch of its predecessor, not for a smaller one or even a punch hole. Instead, it uses a 6.4-inch Nano Edge IPS LCD with a 92% screen-to-body ratio and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The display is covered with Gorilla Glass 6 and there is a slit in the frame above it for the earpiece.

The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor and is paired with 6GB/8GB of RAM with 64GB/128GB/256GB of UFS 2.1 storage. A dedicated MicroSD card slot means you will be able to add extra storage (up to 2TB) without sacrificing a SIM slot.

Other than the display, the Zenfone 6′ cameras is another of its selling points. It can actually be called the main one. ASUS has tagged it “Flip Camera” and that is because the dual rear cameras lift up to serve as the front-facing camera. What this means is that you can use the 48MP Sony IMX586 f/1.79 1.6µm primary camera and 13MP 125° ultra-wide angle camera to take selfies.

The camera has 2×1 OCL PDAF, EIS and a ton of filters and camera modes (including a Super Night Mode, RAW support, and AI scene detection). The flip camera houses a gravitational sensor, a gyro sensor, a hall sensor, and an upper speaker. It also uses specially designed cables that pass through a hole 2mm in diameter to connect the cameras and sensors to the motherboard. ASUS says there are 13 gears in the module.

The Zenfone 6’s Flip Camera has some pretty neat tricks. It is the first phone whose “front-facing camera” can record 4K videos at 60fps with EIS. It also has a special 90° angle for taking pictures so you don’t need a tripod and can shoot at new angles. You can also adjust the angle of the cameras as you deem fit by using the volume buttons to set the angle and the Smart Key to take the picture.

The camera housing is made of liquid metal which is lighter but four times stronger than steel. ASUS says it has put the camera module through up to 100,000 flips which is equivalent to 28 selfies per day for 5 years. The cameras will also fold back if the phone falls from your hands.

The Flip Camera is pretty fast too. A demonstration during the launch showed the camera flip open and launch the app using the Google Assistant voice command “Take a Selfie” in roughly a second.

The Smart Key is actually a button to call up the Google Assistant. However, you can customize it to a variety of functions such as launching the camera app or turning on the flashlight.

The Zenfone 6 packs a 5000mAh battery that will easily last you more than a day. There is no wireless charging but you get Quick Charge 4 (18W) and also reverse charging (10W). ASUS says because of the large battery capacity, the phone can maintain the higher current mode for longer, thereby reducing total charging time. ASUS claims battery life is longer this way and there are fewer charge cycles.

The phone runs ZenUI 6 but it has been designed to look like stock Android Pie. You still get a lot of customization options such as Splendid Color Display Management and a Dark Mode. The Zenfone 6 will also join the Zenfone 5z for the Android Beta program and will get guaranteed updates to Android Q and Android R. It will also get security patches every two months for a minimum of two years. We really hope it fulfills these promises.

The Zenfone 6 comes with stereo speakers, a 3.5mm audio jack, dual-frequency GPS, NFC, Wi-FI a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, and a fingerprint scanner on its Gorilla Glass protected back. It is 9.2mm thick and weighs just 190 grams, lesser than the OnePlus 7 Pro which has a smaller battery capacity.

READ MORE: Asus 2nd generation ROG gaming smartphone tipped for launch in Q3 2019

Price and Availability

The Zenfone 6 comes in Midnight Black and Twilight Silver. It is priced at €499 for the 6+64GB base model, €559 for the 6+128GB version, and €599 for the 8GB+256GB version. It is available already on the ASUS eShop and will ship on May 25. There is no info yet on availability and pricing in other regions.

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ASUS’ Zenfone 6 will be officially unveiled later today. But just hours before its launch, a review video was posted on the internet. The said video has been taken down now but someone was able to take screenshots of the flagship killer.

Press renders of the phone were leaked yesterday and they showed the Zenfone 6 will have a notch-less and hole-less display. These live images confirm the design. Save for the lower bezel, the side and top bezels are really thin. The display has curved corners but we are not sure if it is LCD or AMOLED.

Based on the icons on the home screen, the Zenfone 6 seems to be running stock Android, although there is ASUS’ Gallery app and not Google Photos. However, it seems there are fewer bloatware apps. The Zenfone 5Z came with Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook pre-installed but we can’t see those on the home screen.

On the back, the ASUS Zenfone 6 has dual rear cameras – a 48MP Sony IMX586 primary camera and a 13MP secondary sensor. There is a dual LED flash between the two cameras. These sensors are motorized and they lift up to double as the front-facing cameras. We bet ASUS will assure us they have tested the module several hundred thousand times so we shouldn’t worry about durability.

There is a fingerprint scanner which seems pretty small is positioned below the cameras. The back of the phone is covered in glass and there is the manufacturer’s branding along with some other text written in blue font in the middle. The Zenfone 6 has a metal frame with antenna lines along the sides.

The images show the Zenfone 6 is not a slim phone. If you have been following news of the device in the past couple of days, then you know that is expected since it packs a massive 5000mAh battery.

READ MORE: ASUS pulls the plug on the Zenpad series as it exits the tablet market

The Zenfone will be powered by a Snapdragon 855 processor and will come in multiple RAM + storage configurations. The phone will come in black and a blue+silver color variant.

(Source)

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The Zenfone 6 is shaping up to be the new flagship killer. Earlier today renders of the phone leaked, revealing the flagship phone will have a notch-less display and motorized dual rear cameras that double as front-facing cameras. Yesterday, ASUS actually confirmed an important feature of the phone via its Twitter account.

The Zenfone 6 has been rumored to pack a 5,000mAh battery and yesterday the Taiwanese manufacturer confirmed the rumors. The new ASUS flagship will indeed pack a massive 5000mAh battery, making it the second flagship phone released this year with such a large battery capacity. The first is the Nubia Red Magic 3 gaming smartphone.

5000 > 1+7+3700, so why choose ordinary when you can #DefyOrdinary? #ZenFone6 pic.twitter.com/x8R24953mS

— ASUS (@ASUS) May 14, 2019

ASUS not only confirmed the battery capacity but mocked that of the OnePlus 7 in the same breath. The OnePlus 7 has a 3,700mAh battery which pales in comparison to that of the Zenfone 6′. Even the OnePlus 7 Pro’s 4000mAh battery closes the gap just a little.

READ MORE: ASUS silently launches Zenfone Live L2, brings a cosmetic upgrade

ASUS is definitely taking on the OnePlus 7 with its new device and so far it has already won in some areas. The Zenfone 6′ has a higher screen-to-body ratio since it adopts a “notch-less” and “hole-less” design. It also has an audio jack, a dedicated MicroSD card slot (triple card tray), and a significantly bigger battery. We bet ASUS will also want to win when it comes to price.

The Zenfone 6 launches tomorrow at 8 PM CEST (6 PM GMT/11:30 PM IST). The event will be live-streamed so you can watch it online.

(Source)

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ASUS will be announcing the ZenFone 6 series tomorrow. The ZenFone 5 mid-range phone and ZenFone 5Z flagship smartphone had arrived with similar design. However, they came with different internals. Hence, rumors are rife that ASUS will be launching the ZenFone 6 as a mid-range phone and there could be a flagship phone arriving with ZenFone 6Z or some other moniker. A Taiwanese tech blog has shared official renders of the ZenFone 6 ahead of its launch. Also, some more images were also shared by popular tipster Roland Quandt. The images reveal that the upcoming ZenFone flagship phone will be equipped with a notch-less and a swivel dual camera setup.

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As it can be seen, the ZenFone 6 smartphone is equipped with a massive display that does not feature a notch. The chin of the device is slightly thick compared to the other bezels. An earpiece can be seen on the slim-sized top bezel of the phone.

The ZenFone 6 does not feature a selfie camera. The rear-mounted dual camera sensors can flip towards the front by sliding the display down. The swivel camera module is said to be made out of liquid metal which reduces its weight by 20 percent and increases its strength fourfold. The back panel of the phone is equipped with a pill-shaped fingerprint reader. The brand name of the Taiwanese company can be also seen on the rear. The rear glass has a 3D curved design and with gradient texture.

It appears that the ZenFone 6 will be available in Black and Silver-Blue colors. There is no confirmation on whether the ZenFone 6 and the alleged ZenFone 6Z flagship phone will both be sporting the same design.

1 of 7

It is speculated to be equipped with a 6.3-inch display that offers 1080 x 2340 pixels and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The display of the phone is shielded by Gorilla Glass 6. The Snapdragon 855 mobile platform will be powering the smartphone. It is expected to release in variants like 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage.

• Read More: ASUS Zenfone 6 Double Slider design reaffirmed in a leaked video

The swivel dual camera setup of the phone is rumored to be equipped with Sony IMX586 48-megapixel primary sensor and a 13-megapixel superwide lens. The handset is expected to arrive with a 5,000mAh battery that will carry support Quick Charge 4.0 rapid charging technology.

(source 1, 2|via)

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In a bid to revamp its smartphone arm so as to increase its market share, ASUS may have decided on a redesign of its smartphones. The Taiwanese tech giant is billed to release the Zenfone 6 series on May 16 and the flagship will be coming with a somewhat new design in the sense that it is entirely different from the previous Zenfone models. The design of the Zenfone 6 has now been laid bare in a leaked YouTube video that shows the phone from all angles.

This isn’t the first time the Zenfone 6 design is appearing online. Earlier on, a tipster from India had shared a number of photos of the Zenfone 6 showcasing the design features. Most spectacular is the slider design which the device will pack. The Zenfone 6 won’t be coming with a notch design but will use a slider design. Interestingly, the slider will slide in two directions (double slider). Sliding the phone upwards opens up a stereo speaker setup while sliding downwards open up the selfie camera. The selfie camera seems to have two flashlights at the top left and right ends of the phone.

At the bottom edge, the phone packs a USB-C port as well as a 3.5mmm audio jack. At the back, the device packs a dual camera setup stacked horizontally at the middle with an LED flash sitting in between the two sensors. Under the camera is the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor with a somewhat awkward shape.

ASUS is yet to reveal the specifications of the mid-range model.

(source, via)

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ASUS will be announcing the ZenFone 6 series on May 16. Yesterday, the Taiwanese firm had shared some of the key features of its upcoming flagship phone that will be arriving as the successor for last year’s ZenFone 5Z. Today, a tipster from India has shared several leaked photos of the dummy unit of the ZenFone 6 mid-range smartphone.

1 of 4

The leaked images show that the alleged ZenFone 6 will be arriving with a notch-less display. In fact, it will be a slider phone. The display is surrounded by slim bezels, but its chin is slightly thick. When the screen is moved, the visible part of the slider towards the bottom seems to feature front-firing speakers. The upper part of the slider seems to feature dual front-facing cameras and another external speaker.

1 of 4

The bottom edge of the phone seems to feature slots for a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB-C port. An LED enabled horizontal dual camera setup placed at the center position at the topmost part of the back panel. A rear-facing fingerprint sensor and ASUS brand name can be also seen on the backside of the device. There is no information available on the specifications of the ZenFone 6.

1 of 4

These images are quite different from the case images of the ZenFone 6 phone that had appeared earlier this week. It revealed that the phone is equipped with a large cutout on the rear side for dual rear cameras. Probably, it could be also arriving with a notch-less display with slider design. Probably, by sliding the display, it may flip the rear camera to the front for capturing selfie shots like the Samsung Galaxy A80 phone. This handset could be the purported ZenFone 6Z flagship phone.

• Read More: Asus Zenfone 6 pricing information for the Taiwanese market leaked online

Last year, the ZenFone 5Z competed with the OnePlus 6. The ZenFone 6Z that will be made official two days after May 14 launch of OnePlus 7 could be arriving as its major rival. Some of the other features of the phone that has been confirmed by the Taiwanese manufacturer include 3.5mm audio jack, a notification LED, a triple slot for dual SIM and a microSD card slot, a dedicated smart key which can be also seen in the above shown images.

(source)

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ASUS just released a new teaser poster for the Zenfone 6 and while it doesn’t explicitly say it, the Taiwanese phone company is throwing shades at OnePlus. The poster reveals some of the features of the phone and we are particularly blown away by one in particular.

The teaser which was posted on Twitter has a caption that reads “Keep the essentials”, and it sure does keep the essentials. It also confirms the launch date which is May 16. The event will hold in Valencia and will begin at 20:00 CEST.

Moving on to the image itself, ASUS confirms the phone will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor. This is the same chipset in the Galaxy S10 series, the Mi 9, and the upcoming OnePlus 7 series. It will also power a lot more flagship phones this year.

The Zenfone 6 is keeping the essentials, so it is no surprise it has an audio jack. This is a feature missing on a lot of phones now including the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro. It also has a notification LED which OnePlus removed from the OnePlus 6T and will likely not be on the OnePlus 7 too. Another feature the phone will have is a new hardware button called the Smart Key. We are in the dark regarding what this new button does but can’t wait to find out.

Keep the essentials. Come and join the livestream on May 16 2019 at 20:00 (CEST). #ZenFone6 #DefyOrdinary
Learn more: https://t.co/y3fiATPH71 pic.twitter.com/fJXefTldNV

— ASUS (@ASUS) May 8, 2019

What seems to be the biggest feature the Zenfone 6 has is a triple card slot! Yes, the phone has a triple card slot, which isn’t actually unheard of in a phone but is practically the first flagship device to have one. The triple card slot will allow you to use 2 SIM cards and a MicroSD card slot at the same time.

This is a big deal for a flagship phone. In a world where there are phones with just a single SIM slot and no option for storage expansion (iPhones and Pixels), others that will ask you to choose between a second SIM slot or a MicroSD card slot (Galaxy S10), and some that only have dual SIM slots (Mi 9, OnePlus 7/Pro), the Zenfone 6 with its triple card slot is a ray of sunshine. OnePlus phones have never had a MicroSD, save for the OnePlus X.

READ MORE: ASUS pulls the plug on the Zenpad series as it exits the tablet market

The Zenfone 6 is shaping up to be an interesting device and we are eager to know what other interesting features it has. A teaser video released by the manufacturer shows the phone will not have a notch nor a punch hole, so we expect it will come with a pop-up selfie camera.

(Source)

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ASUS will be launching the ZenFone 6 series on May 16. The Taiwanese firm is expected to announce as many as three smartphones through the upcoming launch event. There could be a ZenFone 6 mid-range phone, a ZenFone 6 Lite entry-level smartphone and a ZenFone 6Z flagship phone. Fresh case renders of the ZenFone 6 phone has appeared today to reveal its design from all angles.

The rear shell of the case designed for the ZenFone 6 has a unique design. The back panel of the smartphone could be curved towards the left and right edges. Placed at the center of the upper half of the rear shell is a cutout for the squarish fingerprint scanner. Above it is a large-sized cutout that extends to the top edge of the case. It houses a horizontal dual camera setup with an LED flash placed between the two camera sensors.

Since the cutout for the dual cameras extend towards to the topside of the phone, it appears that it could be arriving with a pop-up selfie camera module. The cutout appears to be large which indicates that the pop-up selfie camera module may include dual lenses or an LED flash for the camera sensor.

The left side of the phone appears to be barren whereas its edge seems to feature cutouts for an unknown key followed by a volume rocker and a power key. The bottom edge of the case has cutouts for a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB-C port.

• Read More: Asus 2nd generation ROG gaming smartphone tipped for launch in Q3 2019

The case renders of the ZenFone 6 carries the image of the ZenFone Max M2 smartphone that features a wider notch. The ZenFone 6 is unlikely to come with such a front design. It could be sporting a notch-less display.

There is no confirmation on whether the above case renders belong to the ZenFone 6 mid-range phone or its flagship phone. Last year’s ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z smartphones had featured the same front and rear design. Hence, there is a possibility that the ZenFone 6 and ZenFone 6Z may come with identical design. There is a possibility that the ZenFone 6Z may feature triple rear cameras and in-display fingerprint reader. A recent report had revealed that the ZenFone 6Z flagship phone may arrive in three variants such as 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage. These models are expected to respectively cost around $650, $775 and $970 in the Taiwanese market.

(source)

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In February, ASUS had confirmed that it will be announcing its ZenFone 6 series of smartphones on May 16. The ZenFone 6 series is expected to include successors for ZenFone 5 Lite, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z. It is speculated that the alleged ZenFone 6Z phone will be arriving with triple rear-facing cameras and in-screen fingerprint reader. However, there have been various speculations about the front design of the phone such as punch-hole screen and waterdrop-style display. A new teaser released by the Taiwanese company suggests that the successor of the ZenFone 5Z will be equipped with a notch-less display design.

Last year, the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z phones that were introduced at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February 2018 had arrived with displays with wider notch like the Apple iPhone X. The ZenFone 5 was mid-range device whereas the ZenFone 5Z was a flagship phone. Hence, there is a possibility that the ZenFone 6 and ZenFone 6Z may arrive with identical display design.

Embrace the extraordinary revolution. #ZenFone6 #DefyOrdinary
Learn more: https://t.co/y3fiATPH71 pic.twitter.com/PeLNUeL20N

— ASUS (@ASUS) May 2, 2019

The below shown teaser hints that both phones may feature notch-less displays. It remains to be seen whether these smartphones are equipped with pop-up selfie cameras. The teaser actually shows the outline of the front design of the phone and it shows a presence of an earpiece at the center of the top edge of the device which also hints that it could be featuring a waterdrop-style notch display. The teaser also states that the launch event will begin at 8PM (CEST) on May 16.

Last year, the ZenFone 5Z that had arrived with an affordable pricing was a good rival for the OnePlus 6 phone. The OnePlus 7 Pro with notch-less display and pop-up selfie camera will go official on May 14. It appears that the purported ZenFone 6Z with similar design could be a worthy rival for the OnePlus 7 Pro.

There is no information available on the rumored ZenFone 6 mid-range phone. However, the key specs of the ZenFone 5Z’s successor have appeared in the recent past. The rumored ZenFone 6Z has a model number of ASUS_I01WD and its display carries support for full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The Snapdragon 855 mobile platform powers the phone along with 6 GB of RAM. It includes an inbuilt storage of 128 GB and it runs on Android 9 Pie OS. On AnTuTu benchmarks, it has scored 363,172 and it has also appeared on Geekbench.

• Read More: ASUS pulls the plug on the Zenpad series as it exits the tablet market

Do you think that the purported ZenFone 6Z will be a good rival for the OnePlus 7 / 7 Pro? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

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The Zenfone 6 is scheduled to arrive in less than a month. The device has been certified by the FCC and the documents reveal key details about the flagship.

The Zenfone 6 (ASUS_I01WD) will have an SM8150 baseband processor a.k.a. Snapdragon 855. The back of the phone will house dual cameras arranged horizontally and separated by an LED flash. Below the cameras will be the phone’s fingerprint scanner.

The Zenfone 6 will also have support for 18W fast charging and dual SIM support as shown on the label.

The device was benchmarked on AnTuTu at the beginning of the month and the result revealed it will come with a display with a 2340 x 1080 resolution, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. It will also run Android Pie out of the box.

So far we haven’t seen any feature that makes the ASUS Zenfone 6 worth looking forward to and we are wondering how it is going to compete against other flagships this year. It doesn’t have triple rear cameras with neat tricks like optical zoom or video bokeh neither is there an in-display fingerprint scanner. 18W fast charging also feels like a feature reserved for mid-range phones now.

READ MORE: These ASUS 5G concept phones with dual sliders are pretty cool!

We guess ASUS might be going with a low price tag just like it did with the Zenfone 5z. However, that didn’t fare well for it as the POCO F1 sold for even less. There is still a bunch of stuff we don’t know as the launch is still a month away but we hope ASUS has a surprise for us.

(Source, Via)

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ASUS will be debuting the ZenFone 6 lineup on May 16.  Last year’s ZenFone 5 series had included ZenFone 5 Lite, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z smartphones. Hence, the ZenFone 6 series may feature ZenFone 6 Lite, ZenFone 6 and ZenFone 6Z smartphones. Rumors have it that the ASUS_I01WD may debut as ZenFone 6Z. The same model number has been approved by Wi-Fi Alliance and National Communications Commission (NCC) in Taiwan. The same model had appeared yesterday on Geekbench. Today, the same model has appeared on AnTuTu benchmarks with key specifications and 363K+ score.

The purported ZenFone 6Z has scored an average benchmarking score of 363,172 on AnTuTu. According to the AnTuTu listing, the Snapdragon 855 mobile platform drives the ZenFone 6Z phone along with 6 GB of RAM. The display of the smartphone carries support for full HD+ resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. The handset runs on Android 9 Pie OS. As far as performance of the phone is concerned, the average benchmarking scores suggests that it will be on par with other SD855 powered smartphones.

According to AnTuTu, the ASUS_I01WD smartphone will be coming in 64 GB and 128 GB storage options. It has further claimed that the biggest feature of the smartphone will be presence of a 48-megapixel camera sensor on its rear. Previous leaks have revealed that the rumored ZenFone 6Z will be equipped with a triple camera setup. The chin of the device may feature a front-facing fingerprint reader.

• Read More: ASUS Zenfone Max Shot and Max Plus M2 announced, first phones powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon SiP 1

There is a mystery looming around the display design of the ZenFone 6Z. Multiple images of ZenFone 6 prototypes that have appeared in the past few months have suggested that it may come equipped with a punch-hole display. The ZenFone 5Z had featured a wider notched display. It may so happen that the phone will arrive with a waterdrop-style notch.

(source)

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ASUS had launched the ZenFone 5 series at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) tech trade fair in February last year. Hence, the rumor has been speculating that the Taiwanese company will use the MWC 2019 event this year to announce the ZenFone 6 series. It was recently reported that some journalists at the MWC 2019 had come across a magazine that showcased all the previous generations of ZenFone smartphones. The magazine also revealed that the ZenFone 6 will be made official on May 14. However, ASUS has now confirmed through a tweet it will be unleashing the ZenFone 6 on May 16 in Valencia, Spain through a standalone event.

The official tweet only confirms the launch date of the ZenFone 6. The company is likely to unveil successors for the ZenFone 5 Lite, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z flagship phone. The “DEFY ORIGINAL” and “Revolution is coming” texts on the tweet reveals that the ZenFone 6 may sport an offbeat design.

Meet the incredible #ZenFone 6 soon! #DefyOrdinary pic.twitter.com/BrmqCAvX4g

— ASUS (@ASUS) February 25, 2019

The live photos of the rumored ZenFone 6 had leaked around three weeks ago. It had revealed the rear design of the Black and Red-Violet color gradient editions of the smartphone. The rear panel of the phone was spotted with a vertical triple camera setup along with an LED flash. The fingerprint scanner is not available on the backside of the phone. Hence, there is a possibility that the phone could be equipped with an under-display fingerprint reader or it could be sporting a thicker chin with front-mounted fingerprint reader. The leak did not reveal the front design of the phone.

• Read More: Energizer Power Max P18K vs Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M2) vs Samsung Galaxy M20: Specs Comparison

There is no information available on the specifications of the ZenFone 6 phones. However, there is a high possibility that the ZenFone 6 could be equipped with Snapdragon 855 SoC.

There were couple of leaks last year that suggested that the ZenFone 6 could be arriving with a punch-hole display design. There is a possibility that it may sport a slider design. With more than 2 months remaining for the launch of the ZenFone 6 series, it is advisable to wait for more leaks to confirm on its specs and features.

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Last year there were a couple of ASUS ZenFone 6 prototype leaks that revealed what the device could look like. One recurring team in all the leaks is the punch hole display but it appears the final device has taken a different direction.

New live photos of the ZenFone 6 have surfaced online and these show what we believe is the final product as there is a retail box in the images too.

The Zenfone 6 will come with three cameras on its rear. The cameras are arranged vertically with two sharing a single housing while a third and the LED flash are separated. There are two color variants in the images. One has a red-blue gradient finish while the other is black but both are covered in glass.

There is no shot of the front of the phone but the retail box appears in the photos and they do reveal some key details. As you can see, the phone doesn’t have its fingerprint scanner on the back. That is because it is in front – on the chin. Yes, ASUS is going for a front-mounted fingerprint scanner this time around.

The new position of the fingerprint scanner means the bezel gets thicker though not as thick as before the 18:9 era. The forehead is not very visible but we can’t make out a notch or a punch hole display and the bezel doesn’t appear thin too.

READ MORE: ASUS Beta Power User Program brings Android Pie beta to the ZenFone Max Pro M2

Want an ASUS phone with a waterdrop notch or punch hole? That may still happen as the ZenFone 6 is likely to have multiple variants including a flagship model with a Snapdragon 855 processor. These models may come with thinner bezels and the aforementioned displays.

(Via)

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Earlier this year, ASUS had launched the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z with notched displays to provide users with larger screen space. Few months ago, multiple prototypes of the ZenFone 6 had surfaced to reveal that the Taiwanese company is considered different kinds of in-screen camera display hole designs for it. Lets Go Digital has today revealed that the company has patented new designs for smartphones to provide higher screen space to its users.

In August, ASUS had filed several design patens with European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). On Dec. 22 and Dec. 23, those patents were published to reveal the various smartphone designs that the company may use for its upcoming smartphones.

ASUS smartphone with a pop-up selfie camera is the newest design that the company has patented. The design patent reveals a smartphone with full screen design and a pop-up selfie snapper that is hidden inside the top edge of the device like the Vivo NEX smartphone. A speaker can be seen on the super-slim top bezel of the smartphone.

For the pop-up camera, the Taiwanese company has considered three different formats which includes a thin module for the front camera, a second one that is a bit wide which can accommodate more than one selfie camera and a third model featuring a wider module which can possibly accommodate multiple and advanced sensors for 3D face detection.

• Read More: Lenovo S5 Pro GT vs Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M2) vs Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite: Specs Comparison

The second full screen design found in the patent documents is an in-screen camera hole as seen on recent smartphones such as Samsung Galaxy A8s and Huawei Nova 4. As it can be seen in the illustrations below, the new design features a small hole at the top-left corner of the display for the front-facing camera. The speaker is again placed on the ultra-thin upper bezel of the smartphone.

Popular YouTuber C4ETech had shared some prototype images in October which showed different placements for the front-facing camera. One of the images shared below suggested that the ZenFone 6 may sport a display similar to Galaxy A8s and Nova 4 phones. There were some other designs including the one shown in the below video:

ASUS is expected to announce the ZenFone 6 series at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 tech trade show in February this year. Probably, the ZenFone 6 and the successor of the ZenFone 5Z may sport any of the above shown display design.

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Last week, a couple of prototypes of the upcoming ASUS ZenFone 6 surfaced on the web. Those prototypes all had varying designs with one having a hole within the screen and another having its notch close to the top right corner. The similarity among all the prototypes is that none of them works as they are just dummies. New images and a hands-on video of another prototype has surfaced and this one actually works.

Unlike the ZenFone 5Z and Zenfone 5 which have notches in the top center of the screen, this Zenfone 6 has a small notch close to the top right corner. The notch is shaped just like the one on the Essential PH-1 and houses a camera.

Since the notch is now smaller and in a new position, the speaker has a new home – between the top bezel and the metal frame of the phone –  and the slit is wider. The larger slit might mean the phone will have stereo speakers for a better audio experience.

There is still a bezel at the bottom which appears to be the same thickness as that of the Zenfone 5Z. The power button is on the right and sits below the volume rocker and at the bottom of the phone is an audio jack, a USB-C port, and two speaker grilles.

This prototype has dual rear cameras and they are positioned in the middle of the device. Right below the sensors is an LED flash and an unusually shaped fingerprint scanner. ASUS seems to be gunning for a clean and simple look on the rear which explains why the cameras and the fingerprint scanner “share” the same housing.

The video shows the lockscreen and it reveals the phone also supports face unlock based on the message on the screen that says “Use fingerprint, face or swipe up to unlock¨.

READ MORE: ASUS ZenFone Lite L1 and ZenFone Max M1 announced in India

The ZenFone 6 will most likely be announced at MWC 2019 before it goes on sale months later, so don’t expect to get your hands on it until May or June.

(Source, Via)

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The ASUS ZenFone 5 series of smartphones was made official at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 tech trade show that was held in February this year. The Taiwanese company could be working on ZenFone 6 series that may go official at the upcoming MWC event in February 2019. Fresh photos of the ZenFone 6 smartphone that were shared by C4ETech YouTube channel today reveal that it will be arriving with an in-display camera and a rear-mounted triple camera unit.

In the first image, the ZenFone 6 prototype is placed beside the ZenFone 5Z. Compared to the ZenFone 5Z, the ZenFone 6 appears to be sporting a notch-less display surrounded by slimmer bezels. An in-screen camera is situated on the top-left corner of its display. The bottom edge of the ZenFone 6 protype has a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-C and an external speaker grille.

In the second image, the in-display camera can be seen at the top-right corner of the screen of the ZenFone 6 prototype. There is another image showing another prototype of the phone with a smaller display notch like the OPPO R17 or F9.

There are couple of other images that show that the ZenFone 6 is equipped with a triple camera unit and a fingerprint scanner on its rear shell. Lastly, there is another image showing the handset with a dual camera setup.

• Read More: ASUS ZenFone Lite L1 and ZenFone Max M1 announced in India

Since the above images belong to the prototype of ZenFone 6, there is no guarantee on the design that the company may have adopted for its ZenFone 6 series of smartphones. There is a possibility that the successor of the ZenFone 5Z may feature a triple camera system and the device that will arrive to replace the ZenFone 5 may come equipped with dual rear cameras. The rumor mill is expected to reveal more information on the upcoming ZenFone 6 series through forthcoming leaks.

Whats your opinion on the leaked images of ZenFone 6 prototypes? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source)

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