The iPhone 12 Mini heralded a new era of compact yet powerful smartphones in 2020. Leaks have since then suggested a compact version of Asus’s rumoured ZenFone 8 series flagships to launch in 2021. Expected to be called the ZenFone 8 Mini, speculations have gone wild with the specifications, bringing a Snapdragon 888 chip, a Flip Camera, and a reasonably sized display – all crammed into a compact body. Now, there’s more to it. Also Read - Asus ZenFone 8 Mini leaks again, this time revealing 2021 flagship-grade specifications
Based on an investigative report from XDA Developers, Asus is planning three versions of the ZenFone 8 series. The most compact version is said to be the ZenFone 8 Mini, which brings with itself a compact design. The report suggests that this Mini is likely to feature a 5.9-inch OLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. A Snapdragon 888 chip will power the phone and, possibly a Flip Camera module. Also Read - Laptop guide: 5 best laptops under Rs 30,000 you can get for work from home
ZenFone 8 Mini to join ZenFone 8 series this year
A 5.9-inch display is, by all means, compact in 2021, especially when compared to the industry average of 6.7-inch displays. To achieve the compact body, Asus could rely on the Asus ZenFone 6’s form factor and offer a smaller yet fullscreen experience with narrow bezels. The Flip Camera system should help Asus avoid any form of display cutout. Also Read - Asus ROG Phone 5 pre-orders begin today in India at 12pm: Here's how you can pre-book
Image: Asus 6Z
The Mini, codenamed “Sake”, states a pair of two cameras at the back. There’s a 64-megapixel main camera and another unknown camera with a Sony IMX663 sensor.
The report clarifies that the entire ZenFone 8 series will rely on the Snapdragon 888 platform, as evident from the codes in the Asus camera app. There appears to be another ZenFone 8 series device with a bigger display and a weird camera layout. Codenamed the “Picasso”, this phone will flaunt a 6.67-inch OLED display.
This one, however, has a set of four cameras instead of the Mini’s two. Apart from the 64-megapixel main camera, there’s a 12.2-megapixel secondary camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto camera, and another 24-megapixel camera. It remains to be seen whether the last camera sensor is from the front, or a part of the rear camera setup.
There’s another ZenFone 8 series device with the codename “Vodka” but details on that are rare at the moment.
It remains to be seen whether Asus comes up with a Mini version of its mainstream ZenFone 8 series. The iPhone 12 Mini is said to have lost on the sales front when compared to the regular-sized iPhone 12. Will Asus reduce the battery capacity and other crucial features as a compromise for the smaller form factor?
