OnePlus fans have been left confused over the weekend as several OnePlus 5 models became listed as “out of stock”.
The OnePlus 5 smartphone launched as recently as June, and has been one of the company’s most well-received handsets to date. That’s why it seems so surprising to see the two main OnePlus 5 models – 64GB Slate Grey and 128GB Slate Grey – being listed as out of stock, a mere four months after the phone’s official debut.
The only remaining model on the UK store is the 64GB Soft Gold variant, which was launched within the last few weeks. And reports from US media suggest there are similar “out of stock” messages appearing on the North American store too.
The obvious answer is that OnePlus is simply struggling to keep pace with demand for the phone, and may be running low on stock.
But another theory is that OnePlus is gearing up to launch a brand new phone before the end of the year.
In June 2016, OnePlus launched its flagship phone for the year: the OnePlus 3. But then in November that same year, it debuted an upgraded version of the handset called the OnePlus 3T. It’s entirely possible that we could see a similar situation this year.
However, the OnePlus 3T was mainly released to take advantage of an upgraded processor released by Qualcomm halfway through 2016. We’ve not seen Qualcomm make such a move this year, so that makes the possibility of a new (and imminent) OnePlus phone seem less likely.
If OnePlus were to suddenly launch a new phone, we’d imagine it would be in keeping with the bezel-free trend we’ve seen of late. Popular handsets like the iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Google Pixel 2 XL, and LG V30 have all opted for all-screen front designs, so OnePlus may be keen to capitalise on the apparent demand for such designs.
In any case, it’s not exactly clear what OnePlus is planning, but we’ve asked OnePlus for comment and will update this article with any response. Until then, take all rumours with a pinch of salt.
Related: Samsung Galaxy S9
What would you like to see from a new OnePlus smartphone? And what did you think of the OnePlus 5? Let us know via Facebook or Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
