OnePlus 8 5G Focus Will Come At A Price

OnePlus prides itself on not jumping onto bandwagons at the earliest opportunity but isn't one to shy away from changing its mind eventually. That was the case with the headphone jack and it might be the case for a few things in the upcoming OnePlus 8. While it's still playing coy about those other features, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau is in no ways mum over the company going all-in on 5G this year which, of course, means you might be paying more for something you might not be able to use yet.

It wasn't too long ago that OnePlus downplayed the rush that carriers and phone manufacturers were making in jumping in on 5G. It warned that adoption was still too low to even be considered and that phone prices will jump as a result. Last year, however, it did launch its first 5G phone, perhaps partly due to T-Mobile, its closes US partner, aggressively pushing its 5G networks to consumers.

The situation has definitely changed, especially with the availability of the Snapdragon 865 with built-in 5G. What hasn't changed, however, is the cost of the new technology that will eventually fall on buyers. Lau emphasizes that OnePlus' goal has always been to deliver the best value for the best price, not compromising on value just to keep prices low.

The OnePlus 8 won't dance on the $1,000 line, though, the exec assures. There will be a more expensive "Pro" version as always but the base model may still be within reach, even with 5G inside. The CEO expertly avoids any mention of the rumored "Lite" version, whether it will have 5G or if it will launch with the OnePlus 8 at all.

Despite going all-in on 5G, it's hard to deny that the technology still won't be accessible to the majority of OnePlus' customers. That said, if the OnePlus 8 or the OnePlus 8 Pro will also have the long-awaited wireless charging and IP rating, that price hike could still be acceptable, depending on high it is.