OnePlus fans are super excited about the upcoming OnePlus 7 flagship, which will reportedly be unveiled in mid-May. Ahead of the official unveiling, none other than OnePlus chief executive Pete Lau has teased the device. Past reports have indicated that the Chinese company is going to launch three smartphones – OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro, and OnePlus 7 5G – next month.
Pete Lau promises ‘Fast and Smooth’ experience on OnePlus 7
Lau said in a tweet that the “next product from OnePlus will unleash a new era of Fast and Smooth.” He emphasized the “Smooth” part saying, “Smooth is more challenging than Fast – a true test of hardware and software.” In the past, OnePlus has almost always emphasized the blazing fast speed of its phones.
Excited to share the next product from OnePlus will unleash a new era of Fast and Smooth. Especially Smooth! Smooth is more challenging than Fast – a true test of hardware and software.
The new product is just beautiful – I can't wait for you to see it! 😬✨ pic.twitter.com/yPU9sEbeIv
— Pete Lau (@PeteLau) April 17, 2019
With the ‘Smooth’ experience, Pete Lau could be referring to the 90Hz refresh rate on the upcoming flagship. The increased refresh rate would help the device deliver smoother graphics than previous models which had a 60Hz refresh rate. The tweet doesn’t reveal any specific details about the device, but it accompanies a 4-second clip that shows the silhouette of the upcoming device.
The silhouette has a bezel-less design and curved display. According to past reports, the more expensive OnePlus 7 Pro would feature a curved AMOLED display with bezel-less design, Quad HD+ resolution, and 90Hz refresh rate. According to GizmoChina, the curved display would be exclusive to the OnePlus 7 Pro. It would be interesting to see whether the standard OnePlus 7 would also offer the 90Hz refresh rate.
Specifications, case renders leaked
While Pete Lau didn’t announce the OnePlus 7 launch date, Twitter tipster Ishan Agarwal has leaked some details about the OnePlus 7 Pro. Agarwal has provided accurate leaks in the past. He claims the Pro variant would have a Quad HD+ Super AMOLED display with the 90Hz refresh rate.
It would come with a triple camera setup on the back, a huge 4,000mAh battery with 30W Warp Charging technology, and a USB-C 3.1 port. It is unlikely to bring back the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Exclusive for @AndroidCentral! Some details about the OnePlus 7 Pro:
-Quad HD+ Super AMOLED “90hz” Display
-USB 3.1
-WARP Charge at 30W, 4000mAH Battery
-Dual Speakers
-Triple Camera Setup (Wide Angle and Telephoto)
More at:https://t.co/MGRIRUzeo5#OnePlus7Pro #OnePlus7
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/JlA0FyiYQJ— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24) April 17, 2019
In a follow-up tweet, Agarwal said OnePlus is going to hold simultaneous events in New York, the UK, and Bengaluru on May 14th to unveil the new device. OnePlus has traditionally refreshed its flagship line in May or June, and launched the ‘T’ variant towards the end of the year.
Also, the launch event may happen in New York, UK and Bangalore simultaneously on 14th May. Starting time for Bangalore event is supposedly 8:30pm! I'm excited! 😆 #OnePlus7Pro #OnePlus7 #OnePlus #OnePlus7Series
— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24) April 17, 2019
What’s more, British online retailer MobileFun has listed a variety of cases made by Olixar for the upcoming OnePlus 7 Pro. The case renders confirm the Pro variant would have a vertically aligned triple camera system on the back. The standard OnePlus 7 is said to feature only dual cameras on the rear panel. The renders also show the cutout for the pop-up selfie camera on the top-left. Thanks to the motorized selfie camera mechanism, there is no notch on the front panel.
All three variants of the device are expected to run Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 855 processor with 6GB or 8GB RAM. Given the Pro version would have a bezel-less design, three rear cameras, a Quad HD+ display with 90Hz refresh rate, it could be much more expensive than the standard OnePlus 7. According to reliable tipster Steve H.McFly, the regular OnePlus 7 would cost $569 for the base model. Don’t be surprised if the Pro variant starts at around $700. The 5G version could be even more expensive.
All three models are going to run the company’s custom OxygenOS skin on top of Android 9 Pie. The OxygenOS is pretty close to the stock version of Android, delivering a fast and intuitive experience. OnePlus said at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) earlier this year that it had joined hands with EE in the UK to launch its 5G phone.
In the run-up to OnePlus 7 launch, the Chinese company has slashed the prices of OnePlus 6T in its home country by as much as 400 Yuan. The 6GB+128GB variant of the device now costs 2,999 Yuan, down from 3,399 Yuan. The 8GB+128GB version is now selling for 3,199 Yuan, down from 3,599 Yuan. The most expensive variant with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage that used to cost 3,999 Yuan is now available for 3,599 Yuan.
Some speculate that OnePlus reduced the prices to clear inventory ahead of the OnePlus 7 launch. Others point out that the price cut could be the result of new tax laws in China. The country recently lowered taxes on smartphones and luxury goods.