The OnePlus 8 is about get to get a new sibling called the OnePlus "Nord".
This post was originally published on July 6th and updated on July 7th. Update below.
The promotional machine for OnePlus’ new “Nord” phone is in full swing with what seems like a new teaser every day. Interviews, trailers and snippets of details are now constantly flooding timelines.
There’s something slightly comical about dramatic promo videos - like this - that fuse together clips of major historical moments with profound-sounding narration, but ultimately is about a cheap smartphone. Any emotions that have been stirred by images of Big Ben ringing in the millennium or historic marches across the globe are immediately tempered by the revelation that this is all for another piece of tech.
But, outside of the theatrics, two important pieces of information were revealed recently that give us more insight into OnePlus' plans.
Update 07/07: OnePlus has now announced a launch date for the new Nord phone: July 21st. There will be a virtual event, held in AR, taking place on that day to unveil the new device. People who want to tune in can download a special launch app for the augmented reality event here for Android and here for iOS.
In keeping with its promotional efforts, OnePlus is limiting the amount of pre-orders for the new device. Users can pre-order the device right now, even though the device hasn’t been formally announced yet. The first round of pre-orders sold out on July 1st, the second round starts on July 8th and the third round kicks off on July 15th.
These pre-orders aren’t full financial commitments to purchasing the device, though. Users are effectively paying £20 for the opportunity to buy one of the presumably limited devices when it launches. OnePlus says that once the Nord is officially available, those who pre-ordered will receive a code and a non-refundable £20 voucher to complete the purchase - alongside a “surprise gift” and some merchandise.
It’s worth underlining the point that this is a non refundable £20 to pre-order a device that hasn’t yet been released or even properly shown to the public yet. So maybe hold off until you actually see what you’re committing yourself to purchasing.
In an interview with TechRadar, OnePlus' Carl Pei detailed how the new mid-range phone will be “under $500” and feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G processor. For Apple and Google, this isn’t good news.
Google is yet to release its Pixel 4a - most of the leaked release dates have been and gone. We remain largely in the dark about when that phone will land, what it will look like and what it can do. The longer the release is held back, the larger the gaping crater it leaves behind grows. With Google discontinuing the popular Pixel 3a, too, this hands a rare, unique and major opportunity to OnePlus.
The head-to-head specification war between Google’s next mid-range phone and the Nord will be fascinating. Pei’s revelation of a Snapdragon 765G chip in the handset likely means 5G connectivity, which is a huge advantage over almost all other mid-tier phones. Although, based on under-embargo briefs for upcoming phones I’ve attended, there are more cheap 5G devices on the way so this area will become competitive before the end of 2020.
Will Google’s Pixel 4a support 5G? Or be powered by the upper mid-range 765G chipset? These are important questions because there will be a clear difference between the two devices if not. It’s the same for Apple’s iPhone SE, which doesn’t support 5G but does have the company’s latest A13 processor - making it probably the fastest mid-range phone around.
How important is 5G connectivity to prospective smartphone buyers? It appears to be on the rise. Perhaps not because they crave the extra speeds - because coverage is still poor here in the UK - but because they’ll want to make sure their phones are future-proofed whilst also getting as much as possible for the money they spend.
Presuming Pei’s “under $500” means $499, which is what I predict, will consumers happily pay $100 more than Apple’s iPhone SE for 5G? If you’re planning to hold on to the device for a few years, then maybe so.
Pei also talked about a “flagship level” camera experience in the new Nord, but - as is the case with most phones - it may struggle to compete with Google’s offer. The flagship experience Pei is talking about likely refers to what’s in OnePlus’ own flagship line: the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro.
Both, according to reviews, had decent passable camera output that doesn’t match up to what Google, Samsung and Apple are producing. This, ultimately, may be the phone’s main drawback when compared to other big-brand cheap phones. We'll have to see what sorcery OnePlus can produce when it eventually launches the phone.
Google’s unique advantage in AI and computational photography means its cameras can produce far superior images than the competition. With SuperRes Zoom, HDR Plus and Night Sight - backed by the Pixel Neural Core co-processor - Google’s phones remain largely unmatched.
Whilst the Pixel 3a didn’t have the Neural Core co-processor, it did produce very similar results to the Pixel 3 in terms of still photography output - I’d expect a similarly high-level experience in the Pixel 4a.
But, as an overall product with a powerful processor, 5G connectivity and a low-price, the Nord will be a tempting proposition for buyers in the mid-range who are eyeing the iPhone SE or waiting for Google’s Pixel 4a. One thing I found out recently is that it's not hard for a good phone to turn the heads of the most dedicated, hardcore fan of a rival brand. If OnePlus follows through with its earbuds and does a bundle deal with its TV and other ecosystem toys - then the Nord becomes an even more tempting prospect.
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