Asus has launched its Daydream, TANGO-compatible smartphone in India. The new Asus Zenfone AR is the world’s slimmest TANGO smartphone. It is also the first smartphone that’s compatible with both Daydream VR platform and TANGO technology (creates 3D maps of real-world environments). What else is this innovative smartphone hiding? Read more to find about Asus Zenfone AR Price in India, Specifications, and Features
Price and Availability
| Price | Rs 49,999 |
The innovative smartphone is priced at Rs 49,999 in India. It will be exclusively available via Flipkart. With the new handset, the Google Daydream View will be available at a special discount (Rs 2500 off). Customers will also get up to 100GB data from Reliance Jio.
The Asus Zenfone AR is aimed at niche users. While it does not face any competition in experience-based segment, the new handset is unlikely to find a large customer base in India. In its price segment, the high-end smartphone will face tough competition from the likes of Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus.
The Asus Zenfone AR was unveiled at CES in January this year. The 8GB RAM/ 128GB internal storage variant is priced at 24,990 New Taiwan Dollars (approx Rs 52,000).
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Specifications
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, Adreno 530 GPU, Quad-core |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Internal Storage | 128GB UFS 2.0 (expandable up to 2TB) |
| Display | 5.7-inch, WQHD (2560 x 1440 pixels), Super AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 4 |
| OS | Android 7.0 Nougat |
| Primary (Rear) Camera | 3-camera system, 23MP Sony IMX318 camera, depth & motion tracking sensors |
| Front Camera | 8-megapixel, f/2.0 aperture, 85-degree wide angle lens |
| Battery | 4000mAh with Quick Charge 3.0 |
| Dual SIM | Yes |
The Asus Zenfone AR features a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with WQHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) resolution. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, Adreno 530 GPU, and 8GB RAM. The next-gen smartphone comes with 128GB internal storage and a five-magnet speaker system. It is backed by a 3,300 mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 support.
However, the USP of the Zenfone AR is its Tri-camera system (3 cameras). It includes a 23MP PixelMaster 3.0 camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), electronic image stabilization (EIS), 0.03 sec Asus TriTech autofocus technology, 4K video recording capability, RAW file support, and a dual LED flash. The other two cameras offer depth sensing and motion detection.
The 0.03 sec Asus TriTech autofocus technology combines phase detection autofocus, laser autofocus, and subject tracking. Additionally, a Super Resolution Mode can create 92MP resolution pictures by combining four native 23MP images.
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Features
- Project TANGO
- Daydream View VR
- Tri-camera system
- 0.03 sec Asus TriTech AF
- 5 magnet speaker
- Hi-res audio
- DTS Headphone 7.1 virtual sound
- NXP SmartAMP
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- USB 2.0 Type-C
- micro-USB
- NFC
- Wi-Fi 802.11ac
- 4G LTE
- GPS
- Bluetooth 4.2
- Furnished Leather Back
Along with Google Daydream View virtual reality headset, the Asus Zenphone AR can run Tango apps including games, home decorating apps, and other augmented reality apps. The combination of VR and AR on the same smartphone opens up doors for innovative futuristic apps. Theoretically, you can interact with Tango apps while wearing a VR headset.
The Asus ZenFone AR’s depth-tracking sensors react to forward, backward, and strafing motions. The Project Tango can identify objects in the real world and calculate the dimensions of those objects. For example, it can measure the length of your desk or bed.
The Google Daydream View VR comes with a headset, a motion controller, and a suite of virtual reality apps including HBO, YouTube, Hulu, Gunjack, and Hunters Gate.
Asus also launched several new augmented reality experiences along with the Zenfone AR. It has partnered with Gap for Dressing Room (lets you try on the latest fashion offerings), and BMW for iVisualizer (allows you to configure, customize, and walk around BMW’s i3 and i8 cars in a digital environment).
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Conclusion
Google launched its Project Tango with the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro last year. It brought depth-sensing and motion-tracking technology to smartphones. However, it suffered from several problems. Asus ZenFone AR aims to rectify those issues and takes the technology further with the addition of Google Daydream View. We are yet to see how good the new smartphone really is. Do you think this VR/AR combination is the future of smartphones? Let us know in the comments section below.
