Google Tango-enabled Asus Zenfone AR accidently leaked by Qualcomm

By Christian de Looper Published January 2, 2017

asus zenfone ar news 3 ultra game 970x647 c — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Qualcomm let slip some information about an upcoming Asus smartphone — and a very interesting one at that. The company seems to have accidentally published a blog post containing information about an “Asus Zenfone AR,” which is only the second consumer-facing Google Tango-enabled smartphone. So why do we think that the blog post is a leak? Well, it’s dated January 4, it is about a phone to be unveiled at CES and has since been taken down — but not before publications like GSMArena saw it.

Another interesting fact about the device is that it will be the first Tango-enabled phone that also supports Google’s Daydream View headset — making it a perfect device for those interested in augmented and virtual reality.

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The device will also make use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821. While that is 2016’s flagship and we’re now turning to chips like the Snapdragon 835, the Snapdragon 821 is still a very powerful processor and can handle a lot more than the only other Tango-enabled phone on the market, the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro.

Following the Qualcomm leak, Evan Blass, also known on Twitter as @evleaks, posted renders of what he says is the Asus Zenfone AR.

https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/815973578906730497

There is no word on pricing or availability for the phone just yet, but more information should be announced when the phone is presumably launched at CES on Wednesday.

The Zenfone AR isn’t the only Zenfone we expect to see at CES 2017. Asus has also tweeted about a new Zenfone that will feature the “world’s best processor,” which we assume to be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835. While no other details about the new device have surfaced just yet, like the Zenfone AR, more will be announced shortly.

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Christian de Looper

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Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…

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