Asus confirmed it is indefinitely pausing its smartphone business, pivoting towards artificial intelligence products such as robots and smart glasses. The announcement came from Asus Chairman Jonney Shih during a 2026 kick-off event in Taiwan, as reported by Inside.

Shih stated that Asus will no longer introduce new mobile phone models, effectively ending the Zenfone and ROG Phone lines for the foreseeable future. "Asus will no longer add new mobile phone models in the future," Shih said, according to machine translation, signaling a significant shift in the company's product strategy. The company will adopt a "wait-and-see" approach regarding future phone releases, though Shih did not rule out the possibility entirely.

The decision reflects the challenges Asus faced in a competitive smartphone market dominated by larger players. While Asus never publicly released specific sales figures for its smartphone division, industry analysts suggest its market share remained relatively small. The Zenfone line, known for its compact size and competitive pricing, struggled to gain significant traction due to issues with software support and update policies.

The move to focus on AI represents a strategic realignment for Asus, aiming to capitalize on the growing demand for AI-powered devices. The company hopes to leverage its existing expertise in hardware and software to develop innovative products in the robotics and smart glasses sectors. The financial implications of this shift remain to be seen, but Asus anticipates that its AI initiatives will drive future growth and profitability. The company's stock performance following the announcement was not immediately available.