A MAJOR tech brand has announced it is stopping smartphone production after 23 years.
It has also revealed it will now switch focus to making entirely new products instead.
The decision was confirmed in Taiwan, where Asus chairman Jonney Shih said the company’s smartphone business has been placed on an indefinite hiatus, bringing its long-running phone division to a halt.
An unconfirmed report earlier this month suggested Asus was pulling back from smartphones, but the company declined to comment at the time.
That has now changed, with Shih addressing the firm’s future during a 2026 kick-off event.
“Asus will no longer add new mobile phone models in the future,” said Shih.
LIFE LINE
Major mobile brand apologises amid fears its closing down after 33 years
NO-BILE PHONE
The iconic mobiles that didn’t survive amid fears ANOTHER huge brand will die
The announcement means there will be no new Zenfone or ROG Phone models in 2026 — and possibly beyond.
While Asus has not ruled out returning to phones one day, Shih said the company will take an “indefinite wait-and-see” approach.
Instead, Asus plans to concentrate on artificial intelligence, shifting resources into products such as robots and smart glasses as it pivots away from the crowded smartphone market.
The Zenfone line struggled to stand out in recent years, offering smaller and cheaper handsets but falling behind rivals on software updates and long-term support.
Meanwhile, the ROG Phone range built a loyal following among mobile gamers with powerful processors, active cooling, multiple USB-C ports and gaming accessories.
However, the devices were expensive, with the latest ROG Phone 9 Pro starting at $1,200, more than some flagship Samsung phones.
That high price and narrow appeal meant sales remained limited, with most gamers content using mainstream devices from Apple or Samsung.
Existing Asus phones should continue to receive updates, although support has never matched industry leaders.
