OnePlus 6 launch: What to expect from the phone
The mother of all flagships is here. OnePlus is all set to announce the first of the two biggest smartphones from its stable for 2018. At a glittering event in London, the Chinese smartphone maker will take the wraps off its latest and greatest: OnePlus 6. Much like the OnePlus 5T, which was introduced barely five months after the launch of its predecessor, the upgrade comes within a similar time frame.
Despite coming as a blow to the still highly popular OnePlus 5T, which saw itself being phased out barely months after its launch, the OnePlus 6 will be received with much fanfare. Ahead of its launch, here's everything you need to know about the smartphone.
Design and display
The 6 is expected to be a stark departure from the previous generation OnePlus phones. With a new design scheme, an iPhone-style notch at the top with minimal bezel at the bottom, it will look very different from the OnePlus phones of the past. From what the company has revealed yet, the device will offer the biggest screen on a OnePlus phone yet, but without increasing the phone's footprint.
Though the exact dimensions are unknown, thanks to the notch, OnePlus says its smartphone will have the biggest display – possibly a 6.28-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel – on a flagship yet. OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei confirmed that the 6 will offer 90 per cent screen-to-body-ratio.
The phone is also expected to retain the headphone jack that was seen on the OnePlus 5T. Earlier, a leaked image posted by tipster Evan Blass confirmed that the OnePlus 6 will retain the headphone jack. Carl Pei posted a poll on Twitter a while early asking fans to vote on whether they prefer the jack or not, and the result was unanimously for the headphone jack.
Unlike the metal unibody frames of the previous phones, the OnePlus 6 will sport an all-glass design. The company will also announce a special Avengers: Infinity War edition of the device that will come with a textured back.
The use of glass on the back of the phone also affords it wireless charging capabilities. Notably, Dash Charge is also expected to get an update.
Specifications and cameras
Performance wise, this will be the fastest OnePlus yet, and one of the fastest phones in the industry, too. It has been confirmed to be powered by 2.7GHz Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor that is expected to be paired with 6GB+64GB, 8GB+128GB and 8GB 256GB RAM plus storage variants.
Built using four Kryo 385 Gold cores, the CPU would provide for 10-20 per cent bump in performance and up to 30 per cent boost in efficiency. The SoC also houses the Adreno 630 GPU which again should provide an almost 30 per cent jump in performance during graphics-intensive tasks.
The phone is also expected to improve upon the picture taking prowess of the OnePlus 5T. The smartphone maker for its part has already started to compare the OnePlus 6's camera with the iPhone X, Galaxy S9 and Google Pixel 2, suggesting that this year's device could very well be a major hit with photography enthusiasts.
Reports in the past suggest the dual cameras will include a 16-megapixel primary sensor and a 20-megapixel secondary sensor. The rear cameras are expected to be supported by OIS, and camera features will include Portrait and Super Slo-Mo modes. On the front, the phone is expected to sport a 20-megapixel one with f/1.7 aperture.
The package will be powered by a 3,450mAh battery and run the Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. OnePlus has also teased some form of water resistance, although it's still unknown whether this will be IP-certified.
Price
If latest reports are to be believed, the new phone will differ from the current generation OnePlus in one crucial aspect: the price. As per a report by Tru Tech, the smartphone will initially be available in two variants, with the 64GB storage one going for Rs 36,999 while the 128GB variant going for Rs 39,999. There will also be another more expensive 256GB variant.
There is no information on the pricing of the third variant yet, but expect it to be close to the Rs 45,000-mark.
If this indeed ends up being the price, the bump in rates would take OnePlus 6 closer to the pricing of devices in the premium segment.
However, despite trying, the smartphone maker may have chosen a very aggressive price for a flagship that could arguably give many expensive ones in its league a good run for their money.