This article was published on January 2, 2017

Qualcomm just leaked the next Google Tango phone


Qualcomm just leaked the next Google Tango phone

Project Tango is Google’s biggest and most exciting effort in the computer vision space. Put simply, it has the potential to be a rocket in the backside of augmented reality, making AR applications feel vastly more sophisticated and immersive. It’s super cool stuff.

So far, there’s only been one Project Tango handset – the ambitious, but ill-received Lenovo’s Phab 2 Pro, which debuted late last year to middling reviews. And now, Qualcomm just leaked the follow-up. Whoops.

So, yeah. Meet the Asus Zenphone VR.

This was purportedly due to be announced at CES this week, but Qualcomm had other ideas. The loose-lipped silicon-manufacturer published a (since deleted) blog post that detailed the capabilities of the upcoming handset.

According to Qualcomm, the Asus Zenphone VR will pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset. This meaty processor powers the Google Pixel and the bog-standard Asus Zenphone 3.

It will also ship with both Daydream and Tango capabilities,and will support Daydream VR versions of Google Street View, YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and HBO, as well as games like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Need for Speed, and Gunjack 2. 

News about the device has been trickling out for a while now, and earlier today VentureBeat’s Evan ‘evleaks’ Blass tweeted what purports to be a photo of the device. When Asus officially unveils the phone later this week, it’s unlikely there will be any surprises.

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