The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro might arrive later than expected
The standard OnePlus 8 leaked out entirely earlier this month and was followed just weeks later by the premium OnePlus 8 Pro. These flagships are going to arrive at some point next year and now one reliable source has specified the release timeline that is currently planned.
The OnePlus 8 series is scheduled for Q2 2020
Tipster Max J. claims the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are scheduled for the second quarter of 2020, meaning an official introduction will take place at some point between early April and late June. The exact date wasn’t provided but the schedule does coincide with the company’s usual announcement timeline – the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro debuted in mid-May.
Despite this, today’s news comes as quite a surprise when the early OnePlus 8 leaks that have been seen recently are considered. The 2019 OnePlus 7 series first appeared in early January, although it wasn’t until March and April that the respective designs of each device were prematurely revealed. With the OnePlus 8 duo, these leaks have happened five months earlier than usual.
Naturally, none of this ever meant OnePlus was going to introduce its next-generation phones five months ahead of schedule at an event in December. However, it did lead many to believe an earlier announcement at MWC 2020 in late February or one at a standalone event in March was on the cards. This strategy, after all, would have allowed OnePlus to compete more directly with the Galaxy S11 and Huawei P40 which are both expected to hit shelves in March. The move would have also increased the length of time between the release of regular flagships and their eventual T-branded variants.
OnePlus 8 (Pro) features, specs, and availability
To refresh your memory a little, the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro look set to feature 6.5-inch and 6.67-inch curved edge, Fluid AMOLED 90Hz displays respectively. But unlike the OnePlus 7T Pro which adopted a bezel-less design made possible by a pop-out camera system, these upcoming phones feature a new punch-hole display that’s quite similar to the one used on Samsung’s Galaxy S10.
The new displays are coupled with a vertical camera setup that sits on the rear and presumably houses the main camera, a telephoto zoom shooter, and an ultra-wide-angle alternative. To help better differentiate the OnePlus 8 Pro from the standard model and justify its higher price tag, renders suggest the flagship will also feature a Time-of-Flight sensor and a laser autofocus system.