Taiwanese tech giant Asus on Monday unveiled its 'ROG Phone II India Edition' for Rs 37,999 as it aims to tap into the growing community of gaming enthusiasts in the country who are hooked up to games like PUBG.
The second edition of Asus' flagship device features 6.59-inch display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus mobile platform (processor), 8GB RAM, 128 GB storage, 24MP front camera, 48MP+13MP rear camera and 6,000mAh battery.
For a console-like gaming experience, the smartphone features ultrasonic air triggers and additional side-mounted USB-C charging port for ease of charging in landscape orientation.
"There is a huge opportunity in India for a device like this. Just look at the number of people playing games like PUBG today. We believe that with the pricing that we have adopted, it is a power-packed offering for gaming enthusiasts," Asus India Head Mobile Business Dinesh Sharma told PTI.
He added that apart from gaming, the other high-end specs like camera and processor will position the device as a strong competitor to flagship devices from other companies.
The device will go on sale from September 30. The company will bring in another version of the smartphone with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage for Rs 59,999 soon.
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"ROG Phone II is designed from the ground up for fully immersive gaming. With accessories like the TwinView Dock II (for dual-screen gaming), and the multi-configuration ROG Kunai Gamepad, we want to offer the ultimate console-like gaming experience," Sharma said.
According to a FICCI-EY report, the online gaming segment in India was estimated to be Rs 3,000 crore and is forecast to touch Rs 12,000 crore by 2021. Online gamers in India grew to 278 million in 2018 and the country is one of the top five markets for mobile gaming globally, it added.
Consumers are increasingly looking at buying devices that can support playing games like PUBG and Battle Royale that require smartphones with high processing power, good battery life and display quality for optimum user experience.
The competition in the gaming segment is also expected to intensify further as Call of Duty - a popular console game - makes its entry onto the mobile platform on Android and iOS devices on October 1.
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