Asus Exits Smartphone Market, Galaxy S26 Launch Details Leak, and a Week of Mobile Tech Shifts

The mobile industry landscape shifted significantly this week, marked by a major brand's exit and a cascade of leaks and announcements. Asus, a company known for its innovative and often gamer-focused smartphones, confirmed it will no longer manufacture new phones. The decision signals a strategic pivot for the Taiwanese tech giant, which will now channel its resources into commercial PCs and what it calls "physical AI"—a category encompassing robotics and smart glasses. This move underscores the intense competition and profitability challenges in the smartphone market, especially for brands outside the top tier. While new Asus phones are off the table, the company has assured existing owners that it will continue to provide software support and updates for its current lineup.

The Inevitable End of an Era

Asus's departure from smartphone manufacturing is the culmination of years of struggle to gain significant market share. While its ROG Phone series carved out a dedicated niche among mobile gamers, the broader Zenfone line faced stiff competition from established giants like Samsung, Apple, and a host of aggressive Chinese brands. The company's decision to focus on AI hardware is telling. The future of personal computing is increasingly seen through the lens of AI, whether it's in the form of AI-powered PCs, autonomous robots, or wearable devices like smart glasses. By exiting the high-volume, low-margin smartphone race, Asus is betting on what it perceives as more sustainable and innovative growth areas. This move leaves a void in the market for compact, high-performance Android flagships, a segment Asus's Zenfone line often catered to.

Galaxy S26 Series: Launch Dates and Color Palette Emerge

While one door closes, another remains firmly focused on the industry's biggest player. Leaks surrounding Samsung's next flagship, the Galaxy S26 series, have intensified. According to well-known leaker Ice Universe, Samsung is targeting a February 25 unveiling for the S26 lineup. The timeline suggests a rapid rollout: pre-orders would begin the very next day on February 26, closing on March 4. A pre-sale period would follow from March 5 to March 10, with general sales commencing on March 11. This aggressive schedule indicates Samsung's confidence in its supply chain and its desire to capture the early-year market momentum.

Regarding the Galaxy S26 Ultra, initial reports pointed to four color options. However, leaker Evleaks suggests that the final selection will be more extensive. This is a common strategy for Samsung, often launching with a core set of colors and introducing additional, sometimes exclusive, hues later or in specific regions. Notably, the trendy orange color that has appeared on some recent Samsung devices might not be part of the Ultra's initial palette, according to the same report. The S26 series is expected to be a significant upgrade, with rumors pointing to a new chipset, improved camera systems, and potentially new AI features powered by on-device processing.

A Week of Rumors, Debunkings, and New Hardware

The mobile news cycle was also dominated by a whirlwind of other stories:

OnePlus Shutdown Rumors Debunked: A major report surfaced claiming that OnePlus was shutting down, sending shockwaves through the community. The brand was quick to issue an official statement, firmly denying the rumors and affirming its commitment to the market. This incident highlights the volatility of the rumor mill and the importance of official sources.

Honor's New Contender: Honor unveiled the Magic8 Pro Air, a device that appears to be a direct competitor to the iPhone Air concept. It features a 6.3-inch AMOLED display, a substantial 5,500mAh battery, and a versatile camera system: a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 64MP telephoto periscope lens with 3.2x optical zoom. The 50MP front-facing camera rounds out the imaging package, positioning it as a photography-focused flagship.

Samsung's Mid-Range A57: The Galaxy A57 was spotted on China's TENAA certification site, revealing its key specifications. It will feature a 6.6-inch display, a processor capable of reaching 2.9GHz (rumored to be the unannounced Exynos 1680 SoC), and a camera setup consisting of a 50MP main sensor, 12MP and 5MP secondary cameras, and a 12MP selfie camera.

Performance and Powerhouse Devices:

• The iQOO 15 Ultra is shaping up to be a performance beast, reportedly featuring the largest physical cooling fan ever integrated into a phone. It recently topped the AnTuTu benchmark charts with a staggering 4.5 million score, signaling its potent capabilities for gaming and intensive tasks.
• Redmi is preparing to launch the Turbo 5 Max, which is rumored to pack a massive 9,000mAh battery. The device will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500s chipset, and its design has already been officially revealed.

Future iPhone Display Tech: Looking further ahead, reports suggest the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will feature advanced LTPO+ OLED displays. This technology, which is currently only produced by Samsung and LG, offers improved power efficiency. More interestingly, it could enable Apple to hide the infrared camera for the Face ID system behind the display itself, potentially reducing the size of the Dynamic Island or pill-shaped notch. This would be a significant step toward a more seamless, all-screen front design.

The week underscored the dynamic nature of the mobile tech industry, where strategic pivots, rapid-fire leaks, and technological advancements constantly reshape the competitive landscape. As Asus steps away from smartphones, the focus intensifies on the remaining players to innovate and capture market share in an increasingly AI-driven future.