Asus’ leaked Zenfone 9 video shows off fun tricks like the scroll key and shoulder mount

Asus has apparently accidentally leaked a promotional video for the upcoming Zenfone 9 on its YouTube channel, and the phone has some very interesting quirks and features. borrow a sentence (via XDA, TechGoing). Perhaps most interesting (at least for those who can grab and leave the headphone jack) is what Asus does with the side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which the video labels as a “smart switch”: it shows an eerie CGI hand-scrolling through a web page by swiping a finger along the edge of the phone.

It’s not exactly unusual to have some kind of gesture built into the fingerprint reader – phones like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip/Fold 3, download notification shade with a similar scroll. (And these phones are far from the first to do this—I remember that feature from the Pixel 2.) But using it to actually scroll content feels like a fun throwback to the era when phones had physical dials or spinner balls to scroll. Will Asus’ version of what it calls “ZenTouch” be an RSI disaster or just a gimmick you use once before shutting it down forever? Maybe. But will it feel like hell once you try it? I bet yes.

Fun side button aside, the Zenfone 9 looks like a very interesting device. According to Twitter user SnoopyTech (who’s snake Some definite leaks The phone will have a 5.9-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate and will be powered by the same screen. Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip Asus put in gaming-focused ROG Phone 6. They also say that the phone will cost between 800 and 900 euros, around 850 to 950 US dollars. That’s pretty high from its $699 starting price. previous generation Zenfone 8which my colleague Allison Johnson called “fantastic” in her review.

Image: SnoopyTech

We’ll have to wait for an official announcement and hands-on to see if this price increase is justified (or true), but the video shows at least a few improvements that could help justify the added cost. The battery has grown a bit compared to the Zenphone 8, which has a 4,000mAh cell that provides “okay” runtime. The video also says the phone’s two cameras have been “substantially upgraded” and shows that the main camera includes a “6-axis hybrid gimbal stabilizer.” Then it shows that this feature is used in conjunction with a really weird accessory called the smart backpack mount; gear part what professional videographers use to lift heavy cameras all day – but for a phone.

Accessories aside (there’s also a seemingly modular phone case to which you can attach a kickstand/wallet), this preview actually makes me excited to see the Zenfone 9 officially revealed. Of course, it’s not an iPhone Mini clone running Android. some people want, but it looks like it will continue the Zenfone tradition of being a compact yet high-end Android phone and pack a few fun features to keep things interesting. And a headphone jack — I can’t get enough of the headphone jack.