ASUS throws shade at Sony Xperia phones while launching the Zenfone 8

What you need to know

• ASUS just launched its new Zenfone 8 and 8 Flip on Wednesday.
• During its presentation, ASUS took a shot at tall phones for being unwieldy.
• The Zenfone 8 is being positioned as a "compact" smartphone with its 5.9-inch display.

ASUS may not be a smartphone powerhouse like some of the OEMs that make the best Android phones, but that doesn't stop the company from taking shots now and then. During its launch of the ASUS Zenfone 8, the company talked about going against the trend of developing tall phones that don't fit in pockets, a comment clearly aimed at Sony Xperia phones.

While commenting that tall phones "look pretty odd," ASUS showed a user holding what appears to be the Sony Xperia 1 II and attempting to put it in their pocket. The phone stuck out quite a bit.

ASUS says that just under 150mm is the "sweet spot" for how tall smartphones should be for optimum reachability and to fit in your pockets. The Zenfone 8 has a height of 148mm with a width of 68.5mm, housing a "compact" 5.9-inch display. This is roughly the same size as the Google Pixel 5, for example, which is slightly shorter and only a hair or two wider.

Of course, Sony is targeting a completely different audience with its smartphones. The upcoming Xperia 1 III features a 6.5-inch 21:9 4K CinemaWide OLED display which is clearly aimed at content consumption and creation. It may not fit in everyone's pockets, but you'll probably be too busy capturing images and video with its triple camera system and variable telephoto lens.

That said, our Alex Dobie calls the Zenfone 8 the "best-looking small Android phone you can buy" in his review, which you can watch below. He's especially impressed with the specs and the pricing, both of which give many 2021 flagships a run for their money.

The Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip will soon be available in Europe, with a U.S. release slated for this summer.