TAIPEI, Jan 20, 2026, 20:01 (GMT+8)
- Asus chairman Jonney Shih announced the company will cease releasing new smartphone models.
- Reports indicate Asus plans to forgo new Zenfone and ROG Phone releases in 2026, shifting focus to AI hardware development instead.
- This development has sparked doubts about Asus’s continued presence in Google’s Android phone market.
Asus is stepping back from smartphones in 2026, chairman Jonney Shih confirmed, shelving its Zenfone and ROG Phone series as the company rethinks its focus. “Asus will no longer add new mobile phone models in the future,” Shih told 9to5Google. 9To5Google
The pullback is significant as it shrinks opportunities for smaller Android phone makers just as consumer electronics firms shift staff and budgets toward AI ventures. For buyers, it cuts out a niche choice in a market already ruled by a few major players.
Asus is more recognized for its laptops, components, and gaming gear than for phones, with a handset business that’s remained fairly modest. Still, it carved out a niche with its gamer-centric ROG Phones and the Zenfone series.
Shih stopped short of ruling out a comeback, calling it a phase of “indefinite observation” of the smartphone market, and vowed to continue supporting current users. According to The Verge, Asus only launched two phones in 2025 — the Zenfone 12 Ultra and ROG Phone 9 FE — neither of which reached the US market. Theverge
Asus is shifting its smartphone R&D efforts toward AI projects, focusing on commercial PCs and what it calls “physical AI” devices—hardware that leverages AI to engage with the physical world, like robotics and smart glasses, Notebookcheck reported. Notebookcheck
Engadget revealed that Asus won’t launch any new smartphones this year, though it remains uncertain if this marks a permanent retreat from the market.
Ars Technica reports that Asus has put its smartphone business on an “indefinite hiatus,” shifting its focus toward AI-driven products like robots and smart glasses. Arstechnica
PCMag suggested this might mark Asus’s exit from Android completely — the mobile OS from Google that powers most non-Apple smartphones.
Asus pulling back from the gaming-phone market might open the door wider for competitors like Nubia’s RedMagic, PhoneArena reported, with hardcore gamers hunting for premium alternatives.
The timeline is still unclear. Android Authority pointed out that Shih didn’t outright confirm Asus is quitting smartphones permanently, though his wording and the magnitude of the AI shift suggest a lengthy pause for new Zenfone and ROG Phone releases.
Asus hasn’t revealed any plans or timelines for releasing another phone. However, the company assures current users they won’t be left hanging as it shifts focus toward new opportunities in AI hardware.
