Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra: A New Contender in AI-Powered Smartphones

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Launched: A Game-Changer in AI-Powered Smartphones

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Officially Unveiled with AI-Powered Features and Snapdragon 8 Elite The wait is over! Asus has officially launched the, a premium smartphone that blends cutting-edge AI features, a pro-grade camera system, and top-tier performance. Announced on February 6, 2025, this flagship device is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, ensuring lightning-fast performance and seamless multitasking. With an AI-enhanced camera, innovative productivity tools, and a stunning AMOLED display, the Zenfone 12 Ultra aims to set new benchmarks in the smartphone industry. Here's a closer look at what makes this device a standout choice for tech enthusiasts.

Asus launches Zenfone 12 Ultra and it's unsurprisingly filled with AI

Asus has announced the Zenfone 12 Ultra, a somewhat tame version of the ROG Phone lineup. The new phone packs QWualcomm's latest SoC and NPU, positioning it to handle a healthy amount of AI processing. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra takes on a very simple look. The rear panel carries a frosted finish while the camera array looks like something OEMs would have released in the late 2010s. Don't let the Zenfone 12 Ultra's appearance fool you, though. This phone is packing some impressive specs on the inside. The display itself comes in at 6.78 inches and is powered by an OLED panel. The main power comes from the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, which is accompanied by up to 16GB of RAM. That chip carries a powerful NPU and processor that can handle on-device AI with relative ease -- at least in its current state. Asus notes that they've added a good few AI features to the Android 15 phone, including AI Transcript 2.0, article summary, and a second-generation call summary tool. We've seen these tools before, but it's good to see Asus packing new devices with some of the productivity features we've grown to appreciate. It's also worth mentioning that the Zenfone 12 Ultra will, of course, bring Circle to Search. The phone also brings a pretty exciting camera array into the mix. Of course, it has its own AI features, too. The main camera uses a 50MP Sony Lytia 700 sensor. Asus notes that this sensor carries a 6-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer OIS system. The telephoto lens uses a 32MP sensor with 3x optical zoom and OIS alongside a 13MP ultrawide lens. The Zenfone 12 Ultra will bring AI tracking for subject centering, voice clarity, and AI portrait video 2.0. The Zenfone 12 Ultra will be powered by a 5,500mAh battery, which puts it on the larger side of things. Asus estimates users will see over 26 hours of use, but the experience will likely vary a bit. The phone will also have wireless charging, but not Qi2. The device will come in Sage Green, Ebony Black, and Sakura White. Asus has noted that the phone will not be available in the US during the global launch.

ASUS's Zenfone 12 Ultra leans heavily into AI

The Zenfone 12 Ultra, announced today, is ASUS's latest flagship smartphone, and much like its competitors, it leans hard into AI. Thanks to a Snapdragon 8 Elite, the Zenfone 12 Ultra can perform AI tasks offline and online through the cloud, including transcribing audio, summarizing articles and documents and providing real-time interpretation on calls for supported languages. It can also use Circle to Search much like other Android phones. The onboard AI is powered by Meta's Llama 3 8B language model, which works without an internet connection. The Zenfone 12 Ultra's FHD+ AMOLED display measures 6.78 inches and has a standard refresh rate of up to 120Hz under normal operation, and up to 144Hz while gaming. A rear tri-camera system handles photo and video and consists of a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 700 sensor with a six-axis gimbal stabilizer, a 32MP telephoto lens and a 12MP ultrawide lens with a field of view of 120 degrees. There's also a 32MP RGBW front camera for selfies. AI software enhancements can ensure people or pets stay at the center of videos, and can apply bokeh effects to portraits and enhance voice clarity while recording videos. A standout with this new Zenfone is its 5,500mAh battery, which promises more than 26 hours of use. It's also Qi 1.3 compatible. Additionally, the smartphone supports eSIMs, making connecting to the internet effortless. WiFi 7 support will let users take advantage of high-speed networks if available. The Zenfone 12 Ultra retails for €1,099.99, and there's a limited-time launch offer of €999.99 in Europe from February 6 to 28. It comes in three colorways: Sage Green, Ebony Black and Sakura White. US and UK launch dates haven't been announced yet.

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Launched: Specs and Price

The Zenfone 12 Ultra has the latest flagship chip from Qualcomm and a big battery with a huge display. Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has finally launched for the global market. It is the latest smartphone from Asus, and likely its most powerful Zenfone yet. The Zenfone 12 Ultra has the latest flagship chip from Qualcomm and a big battery with a huge display. The Zenfone is more tailored towards the regular smartphone market, while Asus's ROG phone lineup is targeted at the gamers. With the Zenfone 12 Ultra, Asus has not only focused on gaming experience or multitasking, but also the camera. Let's take a look at the price and the specifications of the smartphone. Read More - Vivo X200 Ultra Could Pack 6.8-inch 2K LTPO OLED Panel and More: Report Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra comes in different colour options - Sakura White, Sage Green, and Ebony Black. The device has launched at a starting price of NT$29,990 (approximately Rs 80,000) for the 12GB+128GB variant. There is one more variant priced at NT$31,990 (roughly Rs 85,300) for the 16GB+512GB variant. Read More - Xiaomi 15 Ultra Launch Set in February 2025: Details Asus's Zenfone 12 Ultra comes with a 6.78-inch FHD+ (1080x2400 pixes) Samsung E6 AMOLED LTPO display with up to 144Hz refresh rate. There's Corning Gorilla Glass 2 Victus layering on top of the screen for protection. The display is said to support peak brightness up to 2500nits. For power, there's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the device with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 internal storage. Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has a triple-camera setup at the rear with a 50MP Sony Lytia 700 sensor with gimbal OIS, a 13MP ultra-wide angle sensor and a 32MP sensor with 3x optical zoom. On the front is a 32MP sensor for selfies and video calling. There is a 5500mAh battery inside with 65W fast-charging bundled and 15W wireless charging. The device also packs plenty of AI features for the customers. Things like AI Object Sense, AI HyperClarity, AI Portrait Video and more are present in the phone. While these are camera related AI features, you will also find AI Transcript, AI Call Translator, and AI Wallpaper as few of the AI features present.

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra just got revealed -- and it wants to beat the Galaxy S25 on AI

In a recent press release, Asus unveiled the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra, which shows off a lot of similarities to the Asus ROG Phone 9 and enough AI features to challenge even Samsung. Asus's Zenfone range recently saw a pretty substantial design change, with the Zenfone 11 Ultra dropping the more diminutive size of the Zenfone 10 for something that better resembled the Asus ROG Phone 8. While some were initially despondent at the change, there was no doubt that the combination worked in the brand's favor. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is following in its predecessor's footsteps, but it has more than a few surprises in store. At an initial glance, the two devices look almost identical, with the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, display size and camera setup. However, Asus has loaded the Zenfone 12 Ultra with AI features that make the most out of Qualcomm's new chip. For instance, the phone offers AI transcriptions, article and document summaries as well as call translations and the ever-popular Circle to Search. Asus has also stated that the Zenfone 12 Ultra will let users choose if certain AI features will be processed on-device or on the cloud. Asus isn't stopping at daily AI features, as it is including several AI improvements to the cameras. The Zenfone 12 Ultra features AI tracking, which helps to keep the subject of a video centered, no matter where it goes. There's also AI portrait video 2.0, creating "cinematic-quality videos with customizable bokeh effects." Added to this is AI Voice Clarity, reducing environmental noise in real-time, which appears to be a similar feature in the Samsung Galaxy S25 range. The Zenfone 12 Ultra can also help to improve still images through AI, including features like AI Magic Fill that removes unwanted elements from images. Alongside this is AI Unblur, which will help to sharpen images. That's a lifesaver if you have shaky hands like me. However, if you want some more dynamic blur to add a sense of movement to an image, then you can try the AI Panning Shot feature. These are the kinds of features we would hope to see in some of the best camera phones, which is a good sign for Asus. Unfortunately, Asus has only promised two OS updates and five years of security patches, which is sadly lacking. The most important question is the price, and when can you get one. The Zenfone Ultra 12 has a recommended price of €1,099 in the EU, with a promotional price of €999. Unfortunately, Asus hasn't confirmed if the device will be coming to the U.K. or the U.S. just yet.

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra With Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip Launched

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has 32-megapixel selfie camera It has an IP68-certified build Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra runs on Android 15 Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has been launched in global markets as the latest phone from Asus. It runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite and boasts a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display. The handset looks like a repurposed ROG Phone 9 Pro with similar features like a 50-megapixel triple rear camera unit and a 32-megapixel selfie shooter. It offers a gimbal-like stabiliser for the main camera and ships with several AI features. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra houses a 5,500mAh battery that supports 65W wired charging and up to 15W wireless charging. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra comes in Ebony Black, Sakura White and Sage Green colour options. The phone is priced at NT$29,990 (roughly Rs. 80,000) for the 12GB + 256GB variant, and NT$31,990 (roughly Rs. 85,300) for the 16GB + 512GB option in Taiwan. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra runs on Android 15 and features a 6.78-inch full-HD+ (1,080x2,400 pixels) Samsung E6 AMOLED LTPO display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. The display is touted to deliver up to 144Hz refresh rate for gaming and 2,500nits peak brightness. The screen has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection. Under the hood, it has a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip paired with Adreno 830 GPU, up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and a maximum 512GB UFS4.0 storage. For photos and videos, the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has a triple rear camera setup led by a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 700 1/1.56-inch sensor with gimbal OIS and a 13-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera with a 120-degree field of view and a 32-megapixel sensor with 3x optical zoom. On the front, it boasts a 32-megapixel RGBW camera. It offers many AI-based camera features like 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabiliser, AI Object Sense, AI HyperClarity, AI Portrait Vide, and AI Night Vision among others. The Gimbal stabiliser tool will allow users to take better videos. Other AI functionalities include AI Call Translator, AI Transcript, and AI Wallpaper. Connectivity options on the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, GNSS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, NavIC, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB Type-C port. Sensors on board include an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, e-compass, gyroscope, hall sensor and proximity sensor. It sports an in-display fingerprint sensor for authentication and has face recognition feature. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra packs a 5,500mAh battery with 65W wired charging support and 15W wireless charging support via the Qi 1.3 standard. It has an IP68-certified build for dust and water resistance. The handset measures 163.8 x 77.0 x 8.9mm and weighs 220 grams.

The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is basically an ROG Phone 9 Pro

Summary Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is now official with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and a headphone jack. Specifications include 16GB RAM, 120Hz display, triple camera setup with AI features. Available in select regions at €1099, but not in the US. The year has just started and we've already had a bunch of high-end launches fighting for the title of the best Android phone of 2025. It seems like Asus is really hopeful of a comeback, bringing its third phone of the season in the form of the Zenfone 12 Ultra, after the ROG Phone 9 series. For a few years now, Asus has been following a two-series strategy for its smartphones -- the gaming-centric ROG Phone and the mainstream Zenfone. But in a time where the former doesn't have any significant differences when compared to the other non-gaming phones and the latter is no longer compact, this strategy is somewhat questionable. Anyway, if you love options, here's what the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has to offer. Related Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra review: They grow up too fast A solid all-rounder that only comes in a large Posts Spot the difference Specifications SoC Snapdragon 8 Elite Display type AMOLED Display dimensions 6.78" Display resolution 2400 x 1080 RAM Up to 16GB Storage Up to 512GB Battery 5,500 mAh Charge speed 65W Charge options USB-C wired, Qi wireless Ports USB-C, headphone jack SIM support Dual SIM + eSIM Operating System Android 15 Front camera 32MP Rear camera 50MP wide + 13MP ultra-wide + 32MP telephoto Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 7 IP Rating IP68 Colors Ebony Black, Sakura White, Sage Green Price €1100 Expand Most Zenfone 12 Ultra specifications are similar to the ROG Phone 9 Pro's, but with the omission of the second USB port. This means that it is among the only Snapdragon 8 Elite phones to come with a 3.5mm headphone jack. Source: Asus It will come with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X memory and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The Zenfone 12 Ultra has a 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, but it can go as high as 144Hz for supported titles. Rounding up the media consumption experience, it has a set of dual stereo speakers. The 5,500 mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging and 15W wireless charging should help ensure long binge-watching sessions. For photography, the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has a triple-camera array on the back -- a 50MP primary camera with the Sony Lytia 700 sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide lens, and a 32MP 3x telephoto shooter. It has a long list of AI features, such as AI Tracking, Portrait Video, Magic Fill, Unblur, Translator, Transcribe, Article Summary, Document Summary, Semantic Search, etc. Source: Asus The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra's price starts at €1099, and will be available in Europe, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan. For the month of February, it can be bought for €999 as a part of an introductory offer. Color options include Ebony Black, Sakura White, and Sage Green. Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra If you liked the ROG Phone 9 but didn't like the gamer aesthetic, then the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is for you with its Snapdragon 8 Elite, big 120Hz screen, and a headphone jack. Related Best Android phones in 2025 Top-tier smartphones with distinct capabilities Posts

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra with 6.78'' FHD+ 144Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 8 Elite, up to 16GB RAM, IP68 ratings announced

ASUS has launched the Zenfone 12 Ultra, the company's latest flagship Zenfone smartphone, as it had promised. The phone has almost similar specifications as the ROG Phone 9 series that was launched last year. The Zenfone 12 Ultra packs a 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLED HDR 1-120Hz LTPO display with 144Hz refresh rate option for gaming, up to 2500 nits peak brightness and is powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC with up to 16GB of RAM. There are AI features including on-device Llama 3 8B model from Meta, AI Call Translator 2.0 offering real-time voice translation, AI Transcript 2.0 for recorder offering multi-speaker identification, summarization and translation. It can also summarize articles and documents. The phone has a 50 MP main camera with Sony LYTIA 700 sensor, 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 4.0, 13 MP ultrawide camera and has a 32MP 3X telephoto lens with built-in OIS. The front 32 MP ultrawide selfie camera with RGBW sensor and has a field of view (FoV) of 90°. The phone has a dual-cell 5,500mAh battery with 65W HyperCharge fast charging for full charge in 39 minutes and also comes with 15W Qi wireless charging. The ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra comes in Ebony black, Sakura white and Sage green colours and is priced at 1100 Euros (USD 1,140 / Rs. 99,990 approx.) for the 12GB + 256GB model in Europe with a 100 Euros pre-order discount till February 28th, and this time the company is not launching the phone in the U.S. It is also rolling out in Taiwan and Hong Kong. It costs NT$ 29,990 (USD 911 / Rs. 79,910 approx.) for the 12GB + 256GB model and the 16GB + 512GB model costs NT$ 31,990 (USD 973 / Rs. 85,240 approx.).

The plus-sized Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra's gimbal camera is super steady | Stuff

Having turned its back on compact flagships last year, Asus has doubled down on big-screen smartphones for 2025 with the Zenfone 12 Ultra. This photography-focused beast might not offer much for fans of minuscule mobiles, but everyone else can expect top-tier performance, a big battery, and a lead shooter that promises gimbal-level stability when snapping or filming. And naturally there's been a slathering of AI as well. Essentially an ROG Phone 9 stripped of its gamer credentials, the Zenfone 12 Ultra sticks to current phone trends (flat screen, rounded corners, flat frame) and loses the funky AniMe Vision display at the rear. At 6.78in it's as big as its closest competition, and the same size as last year's Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra - despite that phone getting a tepid reception after years of compact Zenfone flagships. What's left is a minimal-looking handset that majors on eco-friendly materials, with a 100% recycled aluminium frame and 22% recycled glass for the 6.78in screen. There's a Samsung-supplied LTPO AMOLED panel underneath, with a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate that can hit an even speedier 144Hz while gaming. Expect a 2400×1080 resolution and 2500 nit peak brightness. It's paired with dual stereo speakers and - in what might be the last of a dying breed - a 3.5mm headphone port. Underneath, a Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU provides the performance muscle, along with up to 16GB or RAM and 512GB of storage. The chipset's NPU will come in handy for Asus' comprehensive suite of AI-accelerated apps, which use Meta's Meta Llama 3 8B language model. Live foreign language translation while on phone calls, voice recorder transcription, and document and web page summaries can all be done on device, rather than rely on the cloud. Google's Circle to Search also makes an appearance, and Asus' own semantic search should make it easier to find specific shots in your camera gallery app. Speaking of cameras, Asus reckons the Zenfone 12 Ultra's lead 50MP snapper is as stable as it gets. The latest version of the firm's 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal promises ±5 degrees of vibration compensation, which is a whopping 66% improvement over the outgoing Zenfone 11 Ultra. AI powered subject detection and tracking with smooth automatic zoom should make for properly smooth video, without the need for any extra hardware. There's also a 32MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom and optical image stabilisation, a 13MP ultrawide with 120 degree field of view, and a 32MP selfie cam up front. They get access to Asus' new Photo Vibes colour presets, and an AI Panning Shot for crisp snaps of fast-moving subjects. The 5500mAh battery isn't quite as beefy as the one find in the ROG Phone 9, but charges at a respectably speedy 65W over USB-C. It can handle 15W wireless top-ups too, but unfortunately becomes the latest high-end Android phone to arrive without Qi2 magnetic charging support. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is hitting Europe and Asia first. Snap one up between the 6th and 28th of February and it'll set you back €1000, with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage in Ebony Black, Sakura White or Sage Green colours. Prices will climb to €1100 once the early bird special runs out.

If You Love AI, You Might Wish Asus' New Phone Was Coming to America

There is yet another interesting smartphone that Americans cannot purchase, at least through the usual channels. This time, it's the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra, a tweaked ROG phone. The Zenfone 12 Ultra's skipping of the United States is especially interesting because its predecessor, the Zenfone 11 Ultra, is available in the US through Asus' online store. The Zenfone 12 Ultra, however, is nowhere to be found. Asus isn't saying that future Zenfone models will also skip the US, but for now, Americans must look to unofficial channels if the Zenfone 12 Ultra catches their fancy. As for whether the new smartphone will attract attention, that's another question altogether. Asus certainly hopes so, touting the 6.78-inch smartphone's refined design, improved functionality, and performance improvements. The device includes the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform and an array of new AI features, both on-device and cloud-powered. The IP68-rated handheld features a silky matte glass finish, which is quite eye-catching. The phone is built using a 100% recycled aluminum frame, a 22% recycled glass screen, and FSC-certified packaging. It comes in three colorways "inspired by Earth's garden," including Sage Green, Ebony Black, and Sakura White, a pink-tinted off-white. The Zenfone 12 Ultra features a "professional-grade tri-camera system," which is, as expected, AI-enhanced. The main camera relies upon a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 700 image sensor, a Type 1/1.56 (10.24 millimeter diagonal) sensor. The Zenfone 11 Ultra, on the other hand, features a Sony IMX890 sensor. The Zenfone 12 Ultra's primary imager offers a 24mm equivalent focal length. This 50-megapixel Lytia 700 (LYT-700) sensor is the same one found in OnePlus' newest mid-range device, the OnePlus 13R. Interestingly, the OnePlus 12R featured the Sony IMX890 as its main camera, so Asus has taken a page from OnePlus' book concerning its upgrade path from year to year. It's also worth noting that the OnePlus 13R has the same processor and 6.78-inch screen size, and it is available in the United States, albeit at a much lower $599.99 starting price. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is €1,099 in Europe, which is nearly $1,150. Beyond getting a new sensor, the Zenfone 12 Ultra also features a new six-axis hybrid gimbal stabilizer 4.0. It promises a lot of stability and works alongside AI subject tracking. The Zenfone 12 Ultra includes a 32-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view. In both cases, these are relatively small sensors. The telephoto camera uses an OmniVision OV32C Type 1/3.2 sensor, while the ultra-wide camera has a Type 1/3 sensor. The phone also features a 32-megapixel front-facing camera. As for AI modes, the Zenfone 12 Ultra has AI Portrait Video 2.0, AI Tracking, and AI Voice Clarity for video and AI Magic Fill, AI Unblur, AI Panning Shot, and AI Document Scanner for still photography. The Android-powered device also has Meta's Llama 3 8B language model, the first phone to incorporate it. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is available to order globally now for €1,099.99, although a launch discount until February 28 brings the price down to €999.99.

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Is the Rare High-End Phone That Still Has a Headphone Jack

Asus on Thursday revealed the Zenfone 12 Ultra, which inherits several cool features from the Asus ROG Phone 9 gaming phone series and retools them for a more mainstream audience. Like last year's Zenfone 11 Ultra, this means that the phone has a 6.78-inch display, fast 65-watt wired charging and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. But in other ways, Asus scaled the Zenfone 12 Ultra from its gaming phone sibling by supporting a (still very smooth) 144Hz refresh rate (the ROG Phone 9's is185Hz) and a smaller 5,500 mAh battery compared to the ROG's 5,800 mAh. The phone will come in three colors: ebony black, sakura white and sage green. The Zenfone 12 Ultra has a bunch of new AI features, several of which Asus is billing as exclusive to the new phone at launch. These include updated editions of the AI Call Translator, a transcription app and portrait video. The updated call translator adds support for third-party chat apps like WhatsApp, which should provide more flexibility beyond just standard phone calls. There are also new AI article and document summary features, along with photo editing features for unblurring a photo or erasing an unwanted object or person in the background. Many of these match similar AI features that we regularly see on Google's Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones, and the Zenfone 12 Ultra will also receive Google's Circle to Search. The Zenfone 12 Ultra's headphone jack continues to set it apart as one of the few flagship phones from any company to support wired headphones without an adapter. For video recording, Asus is also updating its 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer for smoothing out shaky cam while taking video -- a feature that comes in handy when I've tested prior Asus phones in bumpy vehicles. Pricing for the new Zenfone 12 Ultra wasn't immediately available, and this year Asus is omitting the US from the phone's international release. I'm bummed by this, as last year's Zenfone offered many of the media-focused benefits of the ROG gaming phones. This includes the big screen, powerful processor, the gimbal stabilizer for video recording and that headphone jack -- while providing a degree of restraint by offering those features at a slightly lower price than Asus's gaming phones. But Asus has always faced an uphill struggle when it comes to the US market, where the audience for Android phones is dominated by Samsung, according to Counterpoint Research.

The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is skipping the US

The Zenfone 12 Ultra officially launches today, but unlike previous generations, this one won't be sold in the US. As expected, the 12 Ultra is a de-gamer-ified ROG Phone 9 Pro with a big screen, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and a unique gimbal-like stabilizer in the main camera. It's the same formula Asus followed with the Zenfone 11 Ultra, which was a fine device but failed to stand out in a sea of other big Android phones. Now, this edition isn't even making landfall on our shores. As you'd expect of a phone with gaming DNA, the 12 Ultra offers a big 5,500mAh battery. It supports 65W wired charging and up to 15W wireless charging via the Qi 1.3 standard -- no Qi2 here. The 6.78-inch screen is an LTPO panel with variable refresh rates from 1 to 120Hz, and its 1080p resolution is a little low for a panel of this size. The 12 Ultra, naturally, comes with a load of AI features. There's AI background noise removal for video recording, AI-powered semantic search in the photo gallery, AI voice memo transcription, and AI document summarization. AI, AI, AI. These are all very familiar and seemingly a pre-requisite for any phone in 2025. The 12 Ultra's less familiar feature is its gimbal-like image stabilization, which is in its fourth iteration. Like previous versions, it offers hardware-based shake correction, combined with an updated electronic stabilization algorithm. In previous models, it's been a genuinely cool feature and very effective at smoothing out bumpy camera footage. Outside of the stabilization upgrade, the 12 Ultra's camera hardware is unchanged from the 11 Ultra with a 50-megapixel main camera, 32-megapixel 3x telephoto, and a 13-megapixel ultrawide on the rear panel. On the software side, there's a set of iPhone Photographic Styles-like color grading adjustments to adjust your preferred preset for color temperature and saturation in your shots. Asus spokesperson Anthony Spence says that the decision to not bring the Zenfone 12 Ultra to North America "does not rule out the possibility of future Zenfone models being made available in the US," so maybe this isn't the end of the Zenfone line in the states. But it does seem to be further confirmation that the small Zenfone is dead. Long live the small phone.