Chinese smartphone vendor OnePlus is preparing to launch its 2018 flagship OnePlus 6 in the next few weeks. According to the rumor mill, the phone could launch as early as April-end or early May. A new leak indicates that the company would introduce OnePlus Bullets Wireless earbuds with the flagship phone. It doesn’t mean the OnePlus 6 would ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack. The handset would retain the audio jack while offering wireless headphones as an alternative.
Folks at Nashville Chatter have spotted a Bluetooth certification for “OnePlus Bullets Wireless” headphones. The certification site listing does not reveal much about the headphones. Since “Wireless” is right there in its branding, we can expect it to be OnePlus’s response to Apple’s AirPods and Google’s Pixel Buds. According to the listing, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless will be based on Bluetooth v4.1, and would run a Qualcomm chip.
The earphones were listed on April 4, and have model number BT31B. The timing of the listing suggests that OnePlus might be planning to launch the earphones alongside OnePlus 6. The company has been selling Bullets (V2) headphones since late 2016. They cost as low as $20 in the United States. If the OnePlus Bullets Wireless is also priced competitively, it could serve as an excellent alternative to more expensive wireless earbuds. The rumor mill claims the earphones would work with Google Assistant.
Wireless earphones give users a wire-free music experience. Companies like Apple and Google ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack from their flagship smartphones, and introduced their own earbuds. OnePlus has confirmed that it would retain the 3.5mm audio jack, which means the OnePlus Bullets Wireless earbuds will be an official wireless alternative.
Meanwhile, the Chinese company has said in a series of tweets that OnePlus 6 would come with iPhone X-like gestures and an improved Alert Slider. In one tweet, it said users will be able to “speed up your experience with gestures. #OnePlus6.” The company did not reveal how the gestures would work. Android Headlines reports that the vendor has added gesture support to OnePlus 5T beta as well as the OxygenOS beta that would come to OnePlus 6. Users will be able to swipe up and down on the screen to navigate.
Speed up your experience with gestures. #OnePlus6 pic.twitter.com/xo2uS2hwTT
— OnePlus (@oneplus) April 4, 2018
In another tweet, the company teased an Alert Slider. Notably, Alert Slider is already present on the existing OnePlus flagships. There is a dedicated notification slider on the side that you can slide up or down to keep the phone in different modes.
Slide to focus with the Alert Slider. #OnePlus6 pic.twitter.com/LbLbhlwjVh
— OnePlus (@oneplus) April 5, 2018
Earlier this week, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau said in an official forum post that OnePlus 6 would be powered by up to 8GB RAM and Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. These hardware configurations, coupled with software optimization, would make OnePlus 6 one of the most powerful Android smartphones. Lau said the company had a dedicated Team FSE (Fast, Stable, Efficient) that works to optimize software and improve the performance of its phones.
Pete Lau added that the upcoming flagship would have up to 256GB of internal storage. The specs mentioned by the OnePlus CEO could be for the most expensive version. There is also expected to be a 6GB RAM version. The phone is rumored to come in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage options.
According to the rumor mill, OnePlus 6 would sport a 6.3-inch Full HD display. In an attempt to offer maximum screen space without making the device too large to hold in one hand, the company has decided to adopt the iPhone X-like notch. The notification bar would appear on either side of the cutout. OnePlus will optimize the software to hide the notch when watching videos or playing games to ensure that it doesn’t hurt the user experience.
The OnePlus 6 is said to sport a 20MP front-facing camera, and a combination of 20MP and 16MP lenses on the back. It is rumored to ditch the metal back in favor of glass to enable wireless charging. The smartphone would pack a huge 3,450mAh battery. It would run Android Oreo-based OxygenOS software.
OnePlus traditionally refreshes its flagship line in June, but the OnePlus 6 is expected to arrive earlier than usual. Recent leaks suggest that the device could be unveiled by the end of April or in early May. OnePlus has teamed up with Marvel Studios to launch an Avengers: Infinity War-themed OnePlus 6. The new Avengers movie is coming out on April 27th. We can expect OnePlus 6 to debut around the same time. OnePlus has in the past launched Star Wars edition of its flagship smartphones, which were received well by consumers.
