OnePlus 8 Reveal Set For April 14
OnePlus will reveal its new OnePlus 8 Series smartphones on April 14, the company has announced, capping a full weekend of leaks which entirely exposed the new Android handset. Given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, OnePlus will be holding a virtual launch for the smartphones, rather than a physical event, much as we've seen from other phone-makers recently.
Last week, for example, Huawei opted for a livestream for the new P40 series, unveiling its photography-focused devices on Thursday. Xiaomi followed on the next day, using a livestream to pull the wraps off its new Mi 10 series, along with other connected home products like a smart TV and affordable WiFi 6 routers.
Soon, it'll be OnePlus' turn. The OnePlus 8 launch event is due to kick off at 11am EDT (8am Pacific) on April 14.
The #OnePlus8Series is coming. April 14.
— OnePlus (@oneplus) March 30, 2020
We don't actually need to wait until then to see what's in store, mind. Over the weekend, a number of OnePlus 8 leaks effectively exposed the new smartphone – and its OnePlus 8 Pro sibling – in a variety of finishes. We know to expect a 6.55-inch 90Hz display with a punch-hole cutout for the 16-megapixel selfie camera, for example.
Inside, Qualcomm's 5G-enabled Snapdragon 865 is expected to power the OnePlus 8. Several different configurations are likely, including a flagship model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. On the back, there'll be a 48-megapixel main camera and a 16-megapixel wide-angle camera, along with a third sensor dedicated to depth.
As for the OnePlus 8 Pro, that's believed to have a slightly larger, 6.78-inch display. It'll apparently kick things up to 120Hz and support things like HDR10+ and 1400 nit brightness. There'll also be an extra camera on the rear, it's suggested.
Both will bear OnePlus' new branding which the company revealed earlier this year. According to OnePlus CEO Pete Lau, the company actually pushed back the launch date of the phone three times already, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. "This is something more than 2,000 people at OnePlus have been working on for over a year, so naturally we want to share it with everyone," Lau said. "To be honest, the launch date was pushed back three times out of concern for the current situation. Now, we must move forward. Soon we'll bring you the products we've worked so hard to develop."
The big OnePlus 8 details we're still curious about, of course, are pricing and availability. OnePlus built its reputation on affordable handsets, but as specifications have improved so too have price tags increased. 2020 looks set to be the year of broad 5G phone availability, but what remains to be seen is just how attainable those 5G phones will be.