Asus Zenfone 6 official with 48MP flip camera and Snapdragon 855

Carly Page
@CarlyPage_
17 May 2019

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ASUS IS TAKING another stab at the smartphone market with the Zenfone 6, which has its sights set firmly on the OnePlus 7 Pro.

While we bemoaned the Zenfone 5 for its iPhone-mimicking design and overbearing software, the Zenfone 6 takes a different approach.

First off, the device features a 7 Pro-rivalling 6.4in 'NanoEdge' screen that boasts barely-there bezels and a 92 per cent screen-to-body ratio. Rather than implement a pop-up selfie camera to achieve this, the Zenfone 6 sports a flip camera; a dual-lens module comprising 48MP and 13MP wide-angle lenses that rotates from the back to the front of the device.

This nifty module is crafted from what Asus is calling 'liquid metal' for souped-up durability, and the firm claims the mechanism has tested for 100,000 flips, roughly the equivalent to 28 selfies every day for five years. Like the OnePlus 7 Pro, the phone detects when it's in freefall, and retracts the camera to protect it.

Asus has tackled users' software complaints too and has rejigged its ZenUI to look and feel more like stock Android. Naturally, it's added a few of its own bells and whistles, including a Smart Volume feature that adjusts your ringtone level to match your environment and a dark mode for the UI.

Elsewhere, the Zenfone 6 packs a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 SoC paired with up to 8GB RAM, and a monstrous 5,000mAh battery which the firm claims will provide up to two days of battery life.

The Asus Zenfone 6 comes in two colours, Midnight Black and Twilight Silver, and will launch in three storage and RAM configurations; 6GB/64GB for €499; 6GB/128GB for €559, and a top-of-the-line 8GB/256GB version priced at €599.

Asus told us the device would be available to buy from Thursday, but it's not yet available at its online store. µ