OnePlus has officially revealed its forthcoming OnePlus Nord affordable smartphone ahead of the planned launch event on July 21.
The company’s CEO Carl Pei took part in an interview with famed YouTuber Marques Brownlee, brought along the OnePlus Nord and wasn’t shy about showing it off.
Showcasing the brightly-coloured blue handset throughout the interview, Pei confirmed the OnePlus 8-inspired design with the vertical rear camera array housing a trio of sensors. We’ve also got conformation of that dual selfie camera courtesy of a cut-out in the top left corner of the display.
Related: OnePlus 8 Pro review
Meanwhile, we’re seeing a USB-C charging port and the SIM tray on the bottom of the phone. Bezels are quite thick compared to some of the true edge-to-edge displays, but there are bound to be some sacrifices in this long-awaited return to affordable phones.
Pei, who is wearing the recently confirmed OnePlus true wireless buds during the interview, says the Snapdragon 765 5G smartphone underpins its ability to return to the mid-range-priced phones without damaging the overall experience for users.
He claimed the difference between this phone and Snapdragon 800-series phones like the OnePlus 8 won’t be noticed when performing simple tasks like scrolling through menus. The difference will only be noticeable when undertaking power-hungry tasks like 3D gaming, he says.
Interestingly, Pei offered some insight into the design process, even going as far as to show off prototype devices that included one with cameras arranged in an L-shape on the rear of the phone. In the 18-minute interview with Brownlee, OnePlus co-founder Pei said the company decided to delay the launch of the phone in order to settle on the design for the OnePlus Nord.
The interview also features some interesting discussion on the economics of creating mid-range smartphones including some details on what the components cost and how that factors into the overall price of the phone.
For example, Pei says it only costs around $4 for the manufacturer to include a feature like NFC into a modern smartphone, while also explaining what it takes to make a phone IP68 certifiable and why that water resistance will not be a feature on the OnePlus Nord. It’s an illuminating chat that’s well worth your time.
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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.
