Asus’ leaked Zenfone 9 video shows off fun gimmicks like a scroll button and shoulder mount

Asus has accidentally leaked a promotional video for the much anticipated Zenfone 9 on its YouTube channel and the phone has a lot of interesting specs and features. take the statement (via XDA, TechGoing). Perhaps most interesting (at least for people who can take or leave the headphone jack) is what Asus has done with the side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which the video refers to as a “smart key”: it shows a creepy CGI hand swiping. scroll through a web page by swiping on the side of the phone.

It’s not unusual to have some sort of gesture on the fingerprint reader – phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip / Fold 3 let you lower the notification shade with a similar shift. (And these phones are far from the first to do this; I remember the feature from the Pixel 2.) But actually using it to navigate to content feels like a fun throwback to the days when phones had physical dials or trackballs. Will Asus’ version of what it calls “ZenTouch” be an RSI disaster or a gimmick you use once before turning it off forever? maybe. But will it feel like hell once you try it? I would bet yes.

Funny side button aside, the Zenfone 9 looks like a very interesting gadget. This was reported by Twitter user SnoopyTech (who is there add exactly leaks before), the phone will sport a 5.9-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate and will be equipped with the same. Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip Asus put the gaming-oriented ROG Phone 6. They also say that the price of the phone will be between 800-900 Euros, around 850-950 USD. That’s slightly higher than the starting price of $699 previous generation Zenfone 8my colleague Allison Johnson called it “fantastic” in her review.

Photo: SnoopyTech

We’ll have to wait for the official announcement to see if this price increase is justified (or even accurate), but the video does show at least a few improvements that could help justify the extra cost. The battery has grown slightly compared to the Zenphone 8, with a 4,000 mAh cell that provides “good” runtime. The video also says that the phone’s two cameras have been “massively improved” and reveals that the primary camera has a “6-axis hybrid gimbal stabilizer.” It then shows that this feature is being used with a really badass accessory called the smart backpack mount, which is trying to mimic something. piece of gear that professional videographers use all day to lift heavy cameras – but only for the phone.

Accessories aside (there’s also a modular-looking phone case that you can attach a stand/wallet to), this review actually makes me excited to see the Zenfone 9 officially unveiled. Of course, this isn’t an Android-powered iPhone Mini clone some want, but it looks like it will continue the Zenfone tradition of being a compact yet premium Android phone with a few fun features to keep things interesting. And the headphone jack — I can’t get enough of the headphone jack.