What do you do if you are trying to clear stock of an old and expensive phone? Rename it, slash the price, and pray that people don’t notice the difference or maybe they do and shouldn’t care since the new phone is selling for less. The above is what ASUS has done with the Zenfone AR which has been relaunched as the Zenfone Ares.

The Zenfone Ares is the Zenfone AR which is why ASUS didn’t bother to waste money having a launch event. The Zenfone AR, for those who don’t remember, was announced last year at CES as the first smartphone with 8GB of RAM and the first phone to support Google’s now abandoned Project Tango as well as Daydream VR.

The Zenfone Ares has a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED 2K display with a 1440 x 2560 resolution and Corning Gorilla 4. It is powered by the Snapdragon 821 which is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage.

The rear camera is a 23MP f/2.0 sensor (Sony IMX318) with 4-axis OIS and EIS, laser AF, and tons of shooting modes. It also has depth and motion tracking. Sitting above the display is an 8MP f/2.0 sensor.

The Zenfone Ares has dts-HD support, a built-in NXP smart amplifier, and ASUS’ SonicMaster 3.0 for hi-res audio. It also has a 3.5mm audio jack. Its battery is 3300mAh with support for Quick Charge 3.0. There is a USB-C port with Display Port support, dual-band Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.2 for connectivity. It also has a fingerprint scanner that doubles as the home button. Sadly, it still runs Android Nougat. It would have made more sense if it ran Android Oreo out of the box.

READ MORE: The ASUS Zenfone 5Z Is The Cheapest Snapdragon 845 Phone in Europe

The most interesting thing about the Zenfone Ares is the price. The Zenfone AR sold for NTD 24,990 (~$829), the Ares is priced at NTD 9,990 (~$330) which isn’t a bad price even though it has an old Snapdragon 821 processor. However, availability is limited to Taiwan only for now. Since it appears ASUS is clearing stock, there is a chance it may not make it out of Asia.

(Via)

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Announced in 2014, Project Tango by Google was its early attempt at bringing AR (augmented reality) on smartphones. However, since it never gained popularity, Google has confirmed that it will be ending its Project Tango on March 1. It will be succeeded by ARCore, a new AR system by Google that was introduced in August this year.

As Project Tango is a hardware-reliant approach, smartphones based on Project Tango such as the ASUS ZenFone AR and Lenovo Phab 2 Pro were launched with special sensors to support AR. However, Google’s major rival Apple managed to bring AR on its iPhones without adding any special hardware. In other words, Apple brought a software solution to augmented reality and its ARkit has metamorphosed iOS into a huge AR platform.

Since the time Google had launched ARCore, it was speculated that the search giant may kill the Project Tango initiative. Today, the company has released an official statement on it on Tango’s Twitter handle. It has confirmed that the “Google is continuing AR development with ARCore.” Also, it has been taken down the Project Tango website.  Google had introduced the ARCore system by simply introducing AR stickers for Pixel and Pixel 2 phones. In the near future, the platform is expected to receive an OS-wide implementation.

Read More: Huawei Demonstrates iPhone X-Like 3D Facial Recognition Feature, Animated Emoji

The ASUS ZenFone AR that was announced at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 in January was made available for buying starting from June. It is the first 8 GB RAM smartphone that carries support for both Project Tango AR and Daydream VR. Since Google has officially confirmed the shutting down of Project Tango, it may be soon available with discounted pricing.

(source)

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There has been an upsurge of flagship smartphones coming with 8GB of RAM on some variants lately. Some erroneously think the Nubia Z17 is the first model to pack such but what is usually not known is that Taiwanese tech giant ASUS launched a flagship device dubbed Zenfone AR at CES 2017. Perhaps, the non-recognition of the ASUS Zenfone AR may be unconnected with the fact that since it was launched at CES, the device is yet to go on sale. Well, the Zenfone AR has now gone on sale in Taiwan and the price may surprise you.

The ASUS Zenfone AR retails for a whopping 24,990 New Taiwan Dollars which is about 5,600 Yuan or $825 USD. We’ll quickly compare it with the Nubia Z17 which equally has an 8GB version. The Nubia Z17’s 8GB RAM version comes with a price tag of 3999 Yuan ($587) even though sales is yet to commence for the topmost model. We expect the OnePlus 5 which also has an 8GB RAM version to sell for even less than the Z17. Mind you, the Zenfone AR is fired up by a Snapdragon 821 chip while the Nubia Z17 gets its juice from the latest Snapdragon 835 chip which is touted to be more efficient and powerful than the SD 821. OnePlus 5 is also coming with a Snapdragon 835 processor.

As for other specification, the Zenfone AR sports a 5.7-inch 2K display and there is also a 6GB RAM version. The smartphone comes in four expandable internal storage versions of 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB. The Zenfone AR also features a 3,300mAh battery and has support for dual SIM/ dual Standby. The Zenfone AR is also the world’s first Tango and DayDream ready smartphone. It features a 23MP high-resolution camera with Sony IMX sensor and f/2.0 aperture. The camera comes with features like 4-axis OIS, EIS, RAW photography and dual LED flash. There is also an 8MP selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture and dual-LED real tone flash.

Read Also: ASUS ZenFone AR Launching in Taiwan in June, U.S. in July

The ASUS model runs on Zen UI 3 based on Android 7.0 Nougat and comes with a USB Type-C port as well as a fingerprint scanner. So, would you buy the Snapdragon 821-powered Zenfone AR for $825? What do you think about the price? Let us know your thought in the comment section.

(via)

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In our previous report on ASUS ZenFone AR, it was confirmed by ASUS CEO Jerry Shen that the smartphone would be going on sale in the home market of Taiwan starting from the middle of this month. An official invitation from ASUS confirms that it will be launching on June 14 in Taiwan.

ASUS had announced the ZenFone AR at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 in January this year. It has been nearly six months since its launch and the smartphone is yet to reach the hands of the customers. Since the Taiwanese firm has started sending media invites for the launch event of ZenFone AR, finally its arrival seems imminent.

The ASUS ZenFone AR is the first smartphone to support Google Tango AR as well as Google Daydream VR. On its rear, there is a tri-camera system that includes a 23-megapixel Sony IMX318 sensor coupled with motion tracking and depth measuring sensors.

Read More: ASUS ZenPad 3S 8.0, ZenPad 10 Z301MFL and Z301ML Tablets Unveiled at Computex 2017

The triple cameras of the ZenFone AR allow it support 3D mapping.  GAP, a clothing merchandise firm had demonstrated its AR app earlier this year. It showed that a Google Tango enabled phone will enable the user to try their merchandise on a virtual mannequin with the body that is similar to the user. The ZenFone AR is also the world’s first smartphone with 8 GB of RAM.

The probable reason behind the delay of the arrival of the ZenFone AR is that not many Tango apps were available for it. Our last month’s report states that there are 100 Tango apps available and the company would be soon adding 1,000 Tango apps for the users of ZenFone AR.

As far as the U.S. arrival of the ZenFone AR is concerned, it is expected to be available by next month. Verizon will be the only U.S. carrier that would be selling the ZenFone AR. An unlocked version of ZenFone AR is also expected to be available in the U.S. through third-party retailers.

The ZenFone AR will be coming in two variants, one featuring an 8 GB of RAM and the other one has 6 GB of RAM. It is likely that ASUS would be releasing 6 RAM variant in the U.S.

Again, there is no information on the pricing of the ASUS ZenFone AR. Shen has claimed that the ZenFone AR won’t be priced higher than the Samsung Galaxy S8 which indicates that the phone would be priced under $799.

(via)

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Google had confirmed earlier in this month during the Google I/O 2017 event that the ASUS ZenFone AR would be launching in summer this year. However, the exact timeframe of its arrival and the regions that will be receiving it were not confirmed. During an interview with Engadget, ASUS CEO Jerry Shen confirmed that the timeframe on when it will be arriving in the home country of Taiwan and the U.S.

The ASUS ZenFone AR was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 in January this year. However, at the time of unveiling, ASUS did not confirm on its release. As mentioned above, its summer arrival was confirmed earlier in this month.  Shen has confirmed that ZenFone AR will be going on sale in Taiwan in mid-June.

As far as the U.S. release is concerned, it is confirmed to be available for buying in July. Verizon will be the exclusive carrier of ZenFone AR in the U.S.  Apart from ASUS, third-party retailers will be also selling the ZenFone AR in the stateside.

Read More: ASUS X00KD Seen on TENAA With Dual Rear Cameras, 720p Display & 4020mAh Battery

The ASUS ZenFone AR powered with Snapdragon 821 chipset is the first smartphone to come with 8 GB of RAM. However, the USP of the phone is that it is the first smartphone that is enabled Google Tango Augmented Reality and Google Daydream Virtual Reality.  The Lenovo Phab Pro 2 from last year was the first Tango-enabled smartphone. It did not carry support for Daydream VR.

There are three cameras on the rear side of the ZenFone AR for motion tracking, depth measuring and room mapping. As humans can do, these sensors allow the ZenFone AR to 3D mapping. Earlier this year, GAP, a clothing chain retail firm demonstrated how this technology works. It showed its app could let a Tango enabled smartphone user to try their merchandise on a virtual mannequin with a body that matches with that of the user.

Currently, there are 100 Tango apps available for ZenFone AR. Shen has confirmed that there would over 1,000 Tango apps available for ZenFone AR users. Other specs of ZenFone AR include QHD 5.7-inch AMOLED screen, 64 GB / 128 GB storage options. It is packed with a 3,300mAh battery.

The pricing of ZenFone AR is still under the wraps, but Shen has said that it won’t be costing more than the Galaxy S8. It indicates that the Tango AR and Daydream VR enabled smartphone would be priced less than $799.

(source)

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Asus ZenFone AR that is built for augmented reality is the first Tango enabled smartphone in the world that carries support for Daydream VR. The smartphone has been unleashed at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2017 tech exhibition. It was launched alongside Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom.

World’s  First Tango, Daydream Ready Smartphone

As mentioned above, the Taiwanese tech company has managed to unleash the ZenFone AR that supports Google Tango augmented reality technology though its TriCam system featuring three cameras for motion tracking, depth measuring and room mapping.

Tango with it set of sensors can measure space and motion like humans do. At present, there are only 35 AR apps available, but more apps are expected to roll out later this year.

At the launch event, Asus also demoed how the ZenFone AR can be used through GAP AR app to understand how garments fit on a model. The first AR smartphone, the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro launched in 2016 does not support Daydream VR. Asus ZenFone AR is also Google Daydream ready smartphone through which users can enjoy high-quality immersive virtual reality.

As of this writing, Tango AR and Daydream VR experience cannot be combined on Asus ZenFone AR. In other words, Daydream apps can be used only when the smartphone is present inside a Daydream VR headset and Tango apps can be used only when it is in Tango Mode.

Related: Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom Featuring Dual Cameras with 2.3X Zoom, 4 GB RAM, 5,000 mAh Battery is Official

Asus ZenFone 3 Specifications

The Asus ZenFone AR is fitted with a 5.7-inch quad HD display. It offers a screen-to-body ratio of 79 percent. It is powered by Snapdragon 821 chipset.

The ZenFone AR is also the first smartphone to come with 8 GB of RAM. It also comes in a 6 GB RAM model. The smartphone comes in four internal storage choices of 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB. It also carries support for external storage through microSD card.

The complicated set of cameras at its rear features a 23-megapixel high resolution camera with Sony IMX sensor and f/2.0 aperture. It comes with features like 4-axis OIS, EIS, RAW photography and dual LED flash. The 8-megapixel f/2.0 aperture selfie camera is also coupled with dual-LED real tone flash.

It runs on Android 7.0 Nougat customized with Zen UI 3.0. Other features include a USB Type-C port and a fingerprint scanner. It houses a 3,300 mAh battery with fast charging support.

Asus ZenFone 3 Price, Release Date

The Asus ZenFone AR release date is slated to happen in Q2 2017. As of this writing, there is no confirmation on which markets will be receiving it. Also, the ZenFone AR pricing has not been officially announced yet.

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Asus is expected to unleash new smartphones at the upcoming CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2017 event. Qualcomm and a famous leakster have both revealed that the Asus ZenFone AR is slated to get announced on Jan. 4

Google Tango Augmented Reality platform has been developed by Google. The Asus ZenFone AR has been in the rumors since several weeks. Qualcomm has now spilled the beans on the key features of Asus ZenFone AR.

On the Qualcomm blog post that carries a publishing date of Jan. 4 reads that the Asus ZenFone AR is powered by Snapdragon 821 processor. It also revealed that it is the first mobile device ever to be enabled with Tango augmented reality as well as support Daydream mobile virtual reality.

The blog post has been taken down, but its cache image reveals the experience ZenFone AR will deliver. The post states that, “with Zenfone AR and the Daydream View headset and controller, you’ll be able to explore new worlds with apps like Google Street View and Fantastic Beasts, dive into your personal VR cinema with YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and HBO, and get your game on with Gunjack 2, LEGO BrickHeadz, Need for Speed and dozens other titles.”

Even the well-known leakster, Evan Blass (aka @evleaks) has tweeted Asus ZenFone AR press renders before its official announcement on Wednesday. In the press renders, the display of the smartphone carries Jan. 4 date. This is also an indication that the Asus ZenFone AR is slated for a Jan. 4 announcement.

Related: ASUS X00GD Shows Up AT TENAA: Sports 4850mAh Battery and Runs Android Nougat

The CES 2017 runs from Jan. 5 to 8 in Las Vegas. However, the press events will be on Jan. 3 and 4 which indicates that several announcements will be done on these dates.

The Asus ZenFone AR specifications are not available yet. However, with Daydream VR onboard, it is expected to come preinstalled with Android 7.0 Nougat. Asus CEO, Jerry Shen has stated that ZenFone AR will deliver advanced performance with competitive pricing.

The first Google Tango smartphone is the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro that was unleashed in November 2016 with features like 6.4-inch quad HD screen, Snapdragon 652 SoC and 4 GB of RAM.

Its other specs include Android 6.0 Marshmallow, 16-megapixel camera enable with features like PDAD, depth and motion tracking sensors, 8-megapixel frontal camera, fingerprint scanner, a 4,050 mAh battery with fast charging support.

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