Asus Zenfone 9 leaked video hints at comeback of scroll key to phones

Asus Zenfone 9 seems to be in development as a promo video has leaked online. The alleged video shows the upcoming Zenfone 9 in its entirety. A separate leak has meanwhile suggested what specifications you can expect from it. The Zenfone 9 will be the successor to the Zenfone 8, which arrived last year in several variants. However, the one shown in the video looks like the vanilla variant. But that is not the interesting thing about the upcoming Asus flagship.

The Zenfone 9 promo video, which Asus “accidentally” posted on its YouTube channel and then pulled, shows a rather unique side-mounted fingerprint sensor. In addition to letting you unlock the phone, the sensor will also double as a scroll key. Asus calls it the “smart key.” The animation in the video shows a hand swiping through a webpage with a slide of a finger along the phone’s side.

Scroll key: a gimmick?

It is the only functionality that the video confirms for the said smart key. There is a chance this key lets you make more gestures. That is because this is not the first time the fingerprint reader is assigned to perform gesture-driven tasks. For instance, the popular Samsung Galaxy Z Flip’s fingerprint sensor brings the notification drawer down with a swipe. And that is not even the only latest phone. This feature dates back to the days of the Pixel 2, whose rear-mounted fingerprint sensor let you bring down the notification shade with a swipe down. But Asus has improved the functionality for in-app navigation, such as scrolling through an article or a webpage.

ASUS Zenfone 9
Snapdragon 8+ Gen1
8 + 128 / 8 + 256 GB / 16 + 256 GB
– 5.9-inch 120Hz screen
– 4300 mAh dual battery
– Sony IMX766 rear main Camera – ZenTouch
– 3.5mm audio port
– IP68 level waterproof
– Red, black, blue
€800-900 pic.twitter.com/5mEn8rsKxw

— SnoopyTech (@_snoopytech_) July 7, 2022

For now, it seems like an intriguing way to navigate on your phone. However, whether or not it will end up being a one-off fancy that you would use once and then turn off forever is something we would know after Asus has made its pitch for the Zenfone 9. When? We do not know yet. Asus has not formally announced anything yet. But it is likely to make an announcement soon, possibly around the launch date of the next flagship.

Asus Zenfone 9 specifications have also been ousted by a credible tipster. According to Twitter user SnoopyTech, the Zenfone 9 will come with a 5.9-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, and shoulder triggers. The shoulder triggers make for an interesting bid because, if true, this could be the first time a Zenfone device will compete with the company’s own ROG Phone in the gaming mobile phone category. And the fact that the Zenfone 9 will use the top-notch Qualcomm processor makes this a solid assumption.

Asus Zenfone 9 price

The tipster also said the Asus Zenfone 9 will cost between EUR 800 and 900, which is roughly around Rs 64,200 to Rs 72,200. The Asus Zenfone 8 was launched in India as Asus 8z for a starting price of Rs 42,999, so the leaked price is clearly higher.

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