Asus ZenFone 6 Debuts at $499

For a while, it looked as if the new normal price for a decent smartphone would be around $1,000 but smartphone users revolted. The revolt wasn’t particularly vocal; it was simply by holding on to devices for longer periods rather than shelling out that much money. This led smartphone makers to go back to launching devices priced more affordably, aiming at the mid-range buyers who were not upgrading.

A slew of good phones at mid-range prices have debuted, and the latest is the Asus ZenFone 6 selling for $499. For the money, buyers get a device with no notch and no hole in the screen. Instead, if you feel the need to selfie the camera pops up reports TechCrunch.

This is an excellent option for folks who never take selfies. Asus uses a camera that pops up from the back, so the device has a single camera that toggles between front and rear. The ZenFone 6 also has fall detection that retracts the camera if it falls from your hand.

The SoC inside is a Snapdragon 855, and the phone has a 5,000 mAh battery meaning it should run for a long time on a charge. Asus also integrates a headphone port. Details on the launch for the device in the US should come soon.