Zenfone 7 could part ways with what made its predecessor special

The Zenfone 7 series will likely include two models. The beefier of the two, the Zenfone 7 Pro, will reportedly be powered by the Snapdragon 865 Plus. The standard model will probably be underpinned by the Snapdragon 865 and its detailed specs have now emerged. 

The Zenfone 7 will apparently sport a 6.67-inches LCD display with an FHD+ resolution and a refresh rate of 60Hz, and it will feature a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Like its predecessor, the phone is tipped to come with an elevating camera module that will double up as a selfie shooter. 

According to a leaked image of the phone's retail box, this will be a triple camera system with a 64MP Sony IMX686 sensor, a 12MP Sony IMX363 ultrawide module, and an 8MP telephoto unit. This could be a downer for consumers who prefer macro or depth sensors.

Moving on, at least one model is expected to have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and ROG Phone 3's kernel code implies that memory will be expandable. 

That said, there is some disparity between the data dug from the code and what we see on the alleged retail box. Thus, we have reasons to believe that the muffled rumors about the lack of a microSD slot might hold some weight. 

Some leaked images also  imply that the handset will part ways with the 3.5mm headphone jack, and this could be a deal-breaker for some buyers. 

An increasing number of vendors are getting rid of the audio port and this might sound logical, given the rising popularity of wireless earbuds. That said, not all consumers seem eager to cut the chord, which explains why Sony has brought the port back and Google and Samsung are apparently planning to do the same.

Per a recent report, the Zenfone 7 Pro will start at €499 or around $595 and this means that the price of the standard model will be in the neighborhood of $500. If that's indeed the case, we think it holds promise. 

The new range will go official on August 26.