Asus’ leaked Zenfone 9 video shows fun gimmicks like a scroll key and shoulder mount

The phone's got some very interesting quirks and features, to borrow a phrase, as a result of the leak of a promo video for it on its YouTube channel. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which the video labels as the "smart key", is the most interesting, at least for the people who could take or leave a headphones jack.

You can bring down the notification shade with a similar gesture, which is built into the fingerprints of many phones. It's not the first phone to do it, I remember the feature from my phone. It feels like it would be fun to use it to scroll through content, like it was in the old days. Will the Zen Touch version be an RSI disaster or a gimmick you use once before turning it off forever? It might be possible. Will it feel good when you try it for the first time? Yes, I would bet.

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

The side button on the Zenfone 9 is fun. The phone will have a 5.9-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and will be powered by the same chip that was used in the ROG Phone 6. The phone will cost between 800 and 900 euros. The previous-gen Zenfone 8 started at $699, which my colleague Allison Johnson said was fantastic.

Image: SnoopyTech

We will have to wait for an official announcement and hands-on to see if the price jump is justified, but the video shows at least a few improvements that could justify the added cost. The Zenphone 8 had a 4,000mAh cell, but the battery has gotten bigger. The phone has two cameras that are upgraded and the main one has a 6- axis stabilizer, according to the video. The smart backpack mount looks like it is trying to emulate a piece of gear that professional videographers use to hoist heavy cameras all day, but for a phone.

Gif: SnoopyTech

This preview gets me excited to see the Zenfone 9 officially revealed, as there is a modular phone case that you can connect to a kickstand. It seems like it will continue the tradition of being a compact-ish but high-end phone with a few fun features thrown in to keep things interesting. I can't get enough of the headphones.