Asus just opened pre-orders for the Zenfone 10 in the United States this month, but the device will apparently mark the end of an era as a new report claims Asus has pulled the plug on that lineup.

Taiwanese media has reported that Asus is undergoing an “organizational restructuring” that has cut down the number of employees in the company’s PC department across Taiwan and China. An internal Asus letter apparently revealed plans to move many employees to the company’s mobile phone divisions – split into Zenfone and ROG Phone – but were instead laid off.

That is, apparently, because Asus has ended its Zenfone division and instead plans to move those employees into other departments or the ROG Phone team. The (translated) report says:

The person familiar with the matter pointed out that ASUS mobile phones are divided into ROG and Zenfone series, but now the latest Zenfone 10 will be the last generation of this series, and the Zenfone team will be merged into other departments in the future, or directly into the ROG team.

It’s said that Zenfone 10 is the last device Asus will produce in the Zenfone lineup which has been underway since 2014. The Zenfone series has never been a particularly big player in the Android space, with the lineup taking a backseat in the United States and still being a minor player in other markets. Recent iterations have seen high praise, though, with Zenfone 9 and 10 both being lauded for excellent battery life, good software, and the rare use of a compact display.

Asus has yet to speak out publicly on this report, but Digitimes reported on the company’s restructuring efforts back in July.

Asus Zenfone 10 pre-order phase opens up in the US at $699

Almost two months have passed since the Zenfone 10 from Asus was launched in Europe. Now, that same Zenfone 10 is available for pre-order in the US and is hitting an easy-to-swallow price point.

Starting today, the Asus Zenfone 10 is available to pre-order in the US and on paper, it looks like a perfectly competent device. The design is unique and somewhat endearing with the massive dual lenses protruding from the back. That style paired with some rather enticing colorways sets a nice tone for the device.

Internally, it’s not so bad, either. The Asus Zenfone 10 runs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and comes in two variants – 8GB + 128GB or 16GB + 256GB. That added memory will give a boost to mobile gamers and other users much the same. At 4,300mAh, the battery should give enough juice for the day, though that entirely depends on how efficient Asus is able to make the device.

The display panel is AMOLED and hits FHD+ at 2400 x 1080. It’s covered by a Gorilla Glass Victus panel and hits up to 144fps with a relatively high Hz rating. The back holds dual 50MP sensors and a 13MP ultrawide sensor under the bulbous lenses included.

Overall, the Android 13 device looks to be a strong contender for a daily driver. With pre-orders starting at $699, the Zenfone 10 sits at a reasonable price point. How performance backs that price up, we don’t know. If Asus is able to implement a light skin of Android 13 with an easy-to-use UI, the Zenfone 10 should be a good device.

Zenfone 10 pre-orders shipments are set to begin sometime around September 11. Those who pre-order the Zenfone 10 will get a free pair of ROG Cetra TWS earbuds, which adds a $99 value to the $699 phone.

Pre-order Asus Zenfone 10

• Asus online store