The rumors that had been circulating for some time about a possible downsizing, or even an exit, of ASUS from the smartphone sector seem to have found a concrete and bitter confirmation.
The Taiwanese tech giant, known for pushing the limits of mobile gaming with the ROG Phone series and for offering high-end compact solutions with the Zenfone line, seems forced to throw in the towel.
According to the latest rumors leaked from the supply chain and reported by authoritative sources, no planned new ASUS smartphone launches for the year 2026.
Farewell Zenfone and ROG Phone? No new ASUS smartphones in 2026
At the center of this drastic decision is a genuine economic storm that is hitting the global tech industry. The main cause lies in the vertiginous rise in production costs, estimated to increase up to 25% in 2026 for the Bill of Materials of smartphones.
While giants like Apple and Samsung still manage to protect their margins thanks to massive sales volumes, entities like ASUS find themselves having to fight for crumbs in an increasingly polarized market.
The triggering factor is the severe DRAM memory shortage, which is causing disruptions in several industrial sectors. The numbers are ruthless: the cost of a single RAM chip of LPDDR5X 12GB has shot up to about $70, a monumental figure compared with the $25-29 companies paid previously.
To this already critical scenario is added the cost of next-generation processors. Chips like the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro are expected at prices significantly higher than the standard versions.
For ASUS, continuing to produce devices with top-of-the-line components would mean raising public prices in an unsustainable way, risking not finding buyers in a market that offers consolidated alternatives.
From denials to the hard reality
It’s not the first time that the future of ASUS’s mobile division has been questioned. Already in 2023 there were reports that the company would discontinue the Zenfone line. At the time, the company intervened promptly with an official statement to deny such claims, reassuring fans and investors.
However, on this occasion, the situation appears decidedly different and more final. According to reports from specialized outlets such as Economic Daily News and DigiTimes, ASUS has already informed partners and relevant distribution channels of the decision to not launch any new ROG Phone or Zenfone in 2026.
This move, however painful, seems understandable if one analyzes the company’s positioning. ASUS has never been considered a dominant player in annual smartphone shipments and, in the middle of a memory crisis, management had to make difficult decisions to safeguard the group’s financial health.
The best choice, in this ruthless context, seemed to be a quiet exit from the market, rather than attempting to compete in an uneven battle against giants like Xiaomi or Samsung, which operate on scales unreachable for the Taiwanese company.
Consequences for users and the future
Despite the news being a cold shower for brand enthusiasts, there is a positive aspect to highlight: ASUS has clarified that the smartphone business will continue to provide post-sale services. Owners of current models will not be abandoned and technical support will remain operational, ensuring support for devices already in circulation.
The overall picture remains complex. In addition to rising costs, ASUS must face logistical problems: memory suppliers have started to carefully select customers to whom to give priority for DRAM shipments and, unfortunately, ASUS is not on this privileged list.
There had been a faint hope, fueled by some reports, that the company could enter directly into the DRAM production business to bypass the shortage, but the PC component maker denied categorically this possibility.
With price increases already announced for some product combinations starting January 5, 2026, the year is shaping up to be the year the market loses one of its most original voices, leaving a void in the high-end smartphone segment.
