This brand could soon offer the perfect iPhone 12 mini rival

By Apple’s standards the iPhone 12 mini hasn’t been selling that well, yet compared to most Android products the compact phone is still a success. Unfortunately, there isn’t a true Android rival on the market right now, but soon that could change.

Asus' high-end ZenFone mini could rival Apple's iPhone 12 mini

Asus is developing a compact Android smartphone for release in 2021 that, unlike Sony’s upcoming Xperia Compact model, will be a fully-fledged flagship device that cuts few corners.

Little is known about the product in terms of specifications at the moment, but Asus’ plans to make it a high-end device suggest Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 888 chipset could be on the cards.

It’s also tipped to hit shelves as the Asus ZenFone mini, corroborating the reports about it being considerably smaller than traditional ZenFone flagships — the ZenFone 7 Pro features a 6.7-inch display.

Industry sources cited by DigiTimes (via NotebookCheck) say the compact ZenFone is a key focus for Asus in 2021. It’s also central to wider plans for a revamp of its entire smartphone business after struggling to compete with more established players last year.

When the so-called Asus ZenFone mini will be released is unclear. The next release for Asus is the ROG Phone 5, which should hit shelves around March or April, so the compact flagship could be next in the pipeline.