The prospect of an imminent OnePlus 5T launch is looking increasingly likely as a new release date leak emerges.
In the past few weeks, we’ve been hearing talk about a new OnePlus smartphone called the OnePlus 5T. This handset is expected to be an incremental upgrade over this year’s OnePlus 5, which launched back in June. However, OnePlus has remained coy about the prospect, and is yet to release any official details about such a phone.
The good news is that highly reliable tech tipster and journalist Evan Blass has posted to Twitter, seemingly revealing a possible launch window for the OnePlus 5T.
In a tweet sent yesterday, Blass wrote: “Just heard from someone I consider reliable that they are indeed working on an 18:9 model for end of November release.”
This tweet was eventually followed by another, which reads: “Got a second, reliable confirmation here, claiming a post-11/20 release.”
Got a second, reliable confirmation here, claiming a post-11/20 release. https://t.co/KDvBH8y7NO
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 25, 2017
This means that – according to Blass, anyway – OnePlus will launch the hotly-tipped OnePlus 5T at some point between November 20 and November 30 this year. But how likely is this?
Well, last year OnePlus debuted the OnePlus 3 in June, followed by a OnePlus 3T launch on November 15, 2016. This year, OnePlus showed off the OnePlus 5 in June, so logic dictates that we’ll see the OnePlus 5T in mid-to-late November this year too.
The real question is: why would OnePlus release a new phone so soon? After all, the OnePlus 3T was created to take advantage of a newly-launched Qualcomm chip called the Snapdragon 821, which offered a 10% performance boost over the Snapdragon 820 inside the OnePlus 3. However, there’s been no follow-on chip from the OnePlus 5’s super-charged Snapdragon 835 processor this year, so we probably won’t be seeing a performance upgrade.
The most likely scenario is that OnePlus wants to offer a phone with an all-screen front. This year, we’ve seen a wide-scale adoption of slim-bezel designs in the premium end of the phone market. Top-tier handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, LG V30, and iPhone X have all utilised this design, arguably leaving the OnePlus 5 looking a little stale.
If OnePlus debuts a OnePlus 5T with a slick, slim-bezel design, it could certainly woo design-conscious customers – especially if it sticks to its long-held strategy of undercutting top-tier rivals on price.
Of course, OnePlus hasn’t confirmed any of this information, so take all OnePlus 5T leaks with a pinch of salt for now.
Related: Galaxy S9 release date
What would you like to see from the next OnePlus smartphone? Let us know via Facebook or tweet us @TrustedReviews.
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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.
