OnePlus 7 Launch Imminent? Company Drops A Big Hint In China

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OnePlus fans are eagerly looking forward to the next-gen OnePlus 7 launch. The Chinese company traditionally refreshes its flagship line in May or June and launches a ‘T’ variant towards the end of the year. We have already seen supply chain leaks and case renders that shed light on its design. Now OnePlus has dropped a big hint in its home country that the OnePlus 7 launch is just around the corner.

OnePlus 6T gets a permanent price cut as OnePlus 7 launch nears

Ahead of OnePlus 7 debut, the current OnePlus 6T flagship has received a price cut in China. The company announced on Monday that it had permanently reduced the OnePlus 6T price in China by 400 Yuan ($60). However, the price cut is limited only to China, at least for now. OnePlus announced the price drop via an official Weibo post.

The OnePlus 6T was launched at a starting price of 3,399 Yuan in China for the base model with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The device now starts at 2,999 Yuan. The 8GB RAM variant with 128GB storage has seen its price drop from 3,599 Yuan to 3,199. The 8GB+256GB model now starts at 3,599 Yuan, down from 3,999 Yuan previously.

The OnePlus 6T comes with a 6.41-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display, an in-display fingerprint sensor, a USB-C port, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, a 3,700mAh battery with Dash Charging, a 16MP front camera, and a combination of 16MP+20MP lenses on the back. It lacks the 3.5mm headphone jack. There is also a McLaren Special Edition with a higher RAM, Warp Charging, and a higher price.

The rumor mill speculates that the price cut could be an indication of the imminent OnePlus 7 launch. The Chinese company might be trying to clear up the inventory before the new product comes out. However, GSMArena points out that the price cut could also be the result of the recent reduction in taxes on luxury goods and smartphones in China. Apple also reduced iPhone prices in the country following the changes in tax laws.

What we know about the OnePlus 7

Past reports have revealed that the OnePlus 7 would bring major changes to its design. The device will ditch the display notch to offer a truly bezel-less display with 95% screen-to-body ratio. The current OnePlus 6T has a waterdrop notch to accommodate the selfie camera. The OnePlus 7 will use a 16-megapixel pop-up selfie camera similar to Vivo Nex to eliminate the notch. The pop-up camera will be placed in the top-left corner and come out when you launch the camera app.

The device is said to sport a 6.5-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display. On the back panel, it would have a vertically aligned triple camera system accompanied by an LED flash. The rear camera setup will reportedly consist of a 48MP primary lens, a 20MP secondary lens for low-light photography, and a 12MP depth sensor.

We can expect the OnePlus 7 to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor similar to its predecessor. But it’s unclear whether the company will continue to use the optical sensor or switch to the faster and more secure ultrasonic fingerprint sensors. It would pack a huge 4,150mAh battery with fast charging via a USB-C port. The company has confirmed that it would not offer wireless charging.

The OnePlus 7 would launch without the 3.5mm headphone jack. In terms of specs, the device is expected to run Qualcomm’s latest octa-core Snapdragon 855 processor. It would be accompanied by 6GB or 8GB RAM and at least 128GB storage. OnePlus has joined hands with T-Mobile in the US to sell its phones.

OnePlus is expected to launch the OnePlus 7 in May. We should expect the device to be more expensive than its predecessor. According to reliable Twitter tipster Steve H.McFly, it is going to cost $569 for the base model. By comparison, the OnePlus 6T was priced at $549 for the base model at the time of launch. Even after the price hike, you can expect OnePlus 7 to cost far less than the iPhone XS Max or Samsung’s Galaxy S10 Plus, both of which cost upward of $1,000.

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