14 DAY TRIAL // Asus announced the ZenFone AR during the first month of this year, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The ZenFone AR is the world’s first smartphone to pack 8GB of RAM and the first phone to come with both Tango and Daydream support.
Although the phone was unveiled early this year, Asus has yet to release it. The latest information which surfaced over at MobileXpose reveals that the ZenFone AR could be launched on June 14 in Taiwan and arrive in the US sometime in July.
Asus has already started sending out invitations for the launch event in Taiwan and the smartphone will arrive in the US at Verizon. The ZenFone AR will be available in two variants, one with 6GB of RAM and the other with 8GB. The former will be available at Verizon this summer.
Three cameras for mapping your surroundings
The main highlight of Asus’ smartphone is its support for Google Tango. In order to create 3D maps of its surroundings, the ZenFone AR comes with a set of three cameras. The primary sensor is a 23MP Sony IMX318 lens, while the other cameras allow motion tracking and depth sensing.
Aside from this, the smartphone comes with a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440 x 2560 QHD resolution for supporting Google’s virtual reality platform, Daydream. Internal storage reaches 64GB or 128GB on the phone, while the device runs last year’s Snapdragon 821 platform, the predecessor of Snapdragon 835. It features SonicMaster 3 technology for enhanced audio quality and effects. The phone’s price is said to reach $800, but that will be revealed during the release event.
Moreover, ZenFone AR will be able to run 100 currently available Tango applications, while their number is expected to surpass 1,000 by next year. The ZenFone AR is thinner and features a much sleeker design than last year’s Lenovo Phab 2 Pro, which also came with Tango support upon launch.