ASUS Ends New Smartphone Launches, Shifts Focus to AI and PCs

ASUS has confirmed that it will stop launching new smartphones, marking a quiet but clear shift away from the mobile phone market. Speaking at the company’s year-end event in Taipei on January 16, ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih said the company will not introduce any new mobile phone models in the future.

While ASUS has not formally announced an exit, this statement confirms long-running industry speculation. As a result, the company’s two key smartphone ranges—the gaming-focused ROG Phone series and the mainstream Zenfone lineup—will not receive new models going forward. The ROG Phone 9 series was launched in October 2024, followed by the Zenfone 12 Ultra in February 2025, and there have been no signs of future releases since then.

ASUS never matched the sales scale of global leaders like Samsung or Apple, but it built a strong reputation by offering distinct features. The ROG Phone was widely respected for its focus on mobile gaming, with elements such as physical shoulder triggers, powerful speakers, long battery life, and stable performance that genuinely appealed to gamers. The Zenfone series also stood out for its bold design choices, including flip cameras and compact flagship models, at a time when most brands moved toward larger devices.

However, as competition intensified and costs rose across the smartphone industry, sustaining niche innovation became increasingly difficult. ASUS’s exit reduces consumer choice and innovation in a market already facing higher prices. The company is now redirecting its efforts toward AI-driven PCs, servers, robotics, and smart devices, signaling a strategic shift toward higher-growth technology segments.

Source: Moneycontrol