OnePlus typically announces a couple of smartphones a year but in 2019, it announced two options of the first smartphone - the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro, as well as two options of the "T" version in the OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro.
It is therefore expected that the Chinese company will introduce the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro sometime in the first half of 2020. Here is everything we have heard so far and what we expect to see.
Release date and price
- May 2020
- From around £549
The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro are expected to arrive sometime in the first half of 2020, likely May. The OnePlus 6 was revealed on 22 May and the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro were revealed on 14 May.
The OnePlus 7T series starts at £549, with the Pro model starting at £699. We would expect the OnePlus 8 series to stay around the same price point, possibly with a slight increase.
Design
- Full screen, punch-hole cameras
- Vertical rear camera systems
- Premium finishes
The OnePlus 7T has a waterdrop notch at the top of its display, like the 7, while the 7T Pro has a pop-up front camera, allowing for an uninterrupted display. Early renders of the OnePlus 8 series suggest OnePlus will opt for the punch-hole design for its next devices though.
We expect the alert slider to remain and we expect a premium build quality too. The OnePlus 7T has a circular camera housing on the rear, while the OnePlus 7T Pro has a vertical housing. Renders suggest both OnePlus 8 models will opt for the vertical camera housing design.
Display
- Increased resolution
- 90Hz refresh rate
- In-display fingerprint sensor
We'd like to see the screen resolution of at least the OnePlus 8 Pro increase compared to the OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7T Pro, but we won't hold our breath.
What we do know for sure is the OnePlus 8 models will both come with 90Hz refresh rate displays, like the OnePlus 7 Pro and both OnePlus 7T devices, as OnePlus said all its future smartphones will offer the faster refresh rate.
We also expect both OnePlus 8 models to be AMOLED panels with HDR10+ support and an under-display fingerprint sensor. It is likely the OnePlus 8 Pro will have a curved display, while the OnePlus 8 could have a flat display and the OnePlus 8 Pro is also likely to be slightly larger than the standard model.
Hardware
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
We'd expect the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro to offer the same processor as each other, which will likely be the latest Qualcomm chipset that will be revealed towards the end of 2019. If past naming conventions are anything to go by, it is likely this processor will be called the Snapdragon 865.
We'd also expect the OnePlus 8 models - or at least the Pro model - to offer 5G capabilities. It might be that this is an option, or it might be that the Pro model only comes in a 5G model.
In terms of other hardware, we don't expect to see microSD support on either OnePlus 8 model but we do expect to see fast charging support.
Cameras
- Same setup as OnePlus 7 Pro
- Possible software improvements
It is not yet clear what camera capabilities the OnePlus 8 series might offer, but renders suggest the Pro model will offer an extra sensor alongside a triple rear camera - likely a 3D depth sensor - compared to the standard model.
We'd also expect some improvements on the OnePlus 7T series as camera quality is a huge topic in the smartphone world at the moment, with all manufacturers placing a big focus on the area in their latest devices.
Software
- Android 10
The OnePlus 7T series launched on Android 10 out of the box so we're expecting the same treatment for the OnePlus 8 models. We'd also expect the 8 models to get a quick update to Android 11 when it arrives later in 2020.
OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro rumours: What's happened so far?
Here are all the rumours relating to the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro we have heard so far.
1 November 2019: OnePlus to continue its two phone strategy, suggesting OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro in future
OnePlus CEO Pete Lau told the Times of India in an interview: "I think moving forward we are going to - at least for now - stick with a current strategy by introducing two products; wherein one will be affordable and the other one be priced higher."
18 October 2019: OnePlus 8 Pro leaks, complete with quad camera and hole punch display
Renders of the OnePlus 8 Pro were published by @OnLeaks and 91 Mobiles, showing quite a few similarities to the OnePlus 8 render leak (below). There's a quad camera on the rear, and the report claims the OnePlus 8 Pro will have a 6.65-inch screen.
As with the OnePlus 8 render, there is a punch hole front camera in the top left of the screen - which would suggest the pop up camera of the OnePlus 7T Pro is no more.
4 October 2019: OnePlus 8 has already leaked, and it has a hole-punch camera
Renders of the OnePlus 8 were published by @OnLeaks and CashKaro showing a device with a triple rear camera in a vertical format, along with a punch hole front camera.
The report claimed the OnePlus 8 would be 8.1mm thin and offer a 6.5-inch display. It also looks like the display will be flat.
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