CES 2017 | Asus launches ZenFone 3 Zoom

Although Asus was one of the first brands to launch a smartphone featuring an optical zoom lens setup for the masses, the ZenFone Zoom family did not become as popular as the company hoped. However, the tech giant is now back at CES 2017 with a new ZenFone Zoom handset that focuses on mobile photography as its predecessors.

Dubbed ZenFone 3 Zoom, this 5.5-inch smartphone features three camera lenses that allow 2.3X optical zoom and a combined digital+optical zoom of up to 12X. The dual-lens camera on the back also allows for DSLR-style bokeh depth effects. The handset also can shoot RAW, offering advanced manual settings, including shutter speed adjustment and the ability to use the 59 mm or 25 mm lens.

The non-camera features include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and a generous 5,000 mAh battery, but Asus managed to keep the handset's thickness below 0.32 inches, so the ZenFone 3 Zoom is the thinnest 5.5-inch handset with such a large battery capacity. The handset is expected to hit the market in February, but there is no information about pricing and availability yet.