In this post, which will be updated regularly, we take a closer look at the latest rumors surrounding the upcoming OnePlus 5.
Update, June 5: A OnePlus promo image hinting at the OnePlus 5 release date has made its way online. In a posting on Chinese social media website Weibo, picked up by DroidHolic, an image of a calendar with the number 20 circled can be seen beside the tagline “Save the date.” The OnePlus logo can be found underneath, while the image’s uploader notes that it relates to the month of June.
There’s nothing to say that this picture is official — it arrives from an independent user and it wouldn’t be particularly hard to whip up such an image in Photoshop. That being said, June 20 would fit in with projected timelines for the OnePlus 5 launch, and we don’t have much else to go on right now.
Previous coverage: The OnePlus 3T was one of the best budget smartphones of 2016. The device offered high-end specs at a more affordable price than rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S7, HTC 10, and LG G5. OnePlus will likely use the same strategy this year for its upcoming flagship, the OnePlus 5, meaning we should see a high-end smartphone that can go toe-to-toe with the Galaxy S8 and LG G6 while undercutting them on price.
Here, we’ve rounded up all the latest rumors regarding the OnePlus 5 so you can get a feel for what the device might offer specs-wise, what it may look like, when it will be announced, and how much it could retail for. You’ll find all this information and more down below.
However, do keep in mind that these are just rumors for now, so take them with a grain of salt. OnePlus has confirmed (almost) nothing and won’t share many specific details about its flagship until closer to the product launch.
OnePlus 5: name
Back in June 2016, the OnePlus 3 was announced, followed by the slightly upgraded 3T in November. Therefore, it would make sense that the next flagship would be called the OnePlus 4. However, the company confirmed to The Verge earlier in May that it would go by the name OnePlus 5.
The reason for this, the company said, is that a lot of its staffers are fans of former NBA basketballer Robert Horry, whose jersey number was five. Another possible, and more plausible, reason, is that the number four is considered to be unlucky in China due to its association with death (Chinese manufacturer Vivo, for example, also avoids the number). OnePlus has denied this, however.
OnePlus 5: release date
The release date of the OnePlus 5 is kind of hard to pinpoint because the company hasn’t stuck to a traditional annual release schedule. The OnePlus One launched in April 2016, the OnePlus 2 in July 2015, and the OnePlus 3 in June, which was then followed by the 3T in November.
Although there’s no word on exactly when the device will be revealed, we do know that it is coming sometime this summer, as OnePlus also confirmed this to The Verge along with the OnePlus 5 name. Our best guess is that the flagship will be announced at the end of June or in July.
The good news is that you shouldn’t have to wait for long to get your hands on the smartphone after its official reveal. The OnePlus 3, for example, went on sale in the US and Europe on the day of its announcement. Things were a little bit different for the 3T, as those in the US were able to order it exactly one week after its reveal, while European consumers had to wait for a few more days. Still, you can expect it to pop up fairly soon after it’s unveiled.
OnePlus 5: specs
The OnePlus 5 will be a flagship device, meaning that it will offer high-end specs and go head to head with the best smartphones on the market. Just like its predecessor, it is expected to feature a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with either Full HD or QHD resolution, which some reports claim might be curved on the sides.
Unsurprisingly, the OnePlus 5 will also be powered by the Snapdragon 835. In a statement on the OnePlus forums, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau explained:
With the OnePlus 5, our commitment to this philosophy continues. We’re proud to announce the OnePlus 5 will feature the Snapdragon 835 processor, which sets the foundation for smooth, powerful, and efficient performance. With graphically-demanding apps, for example, you’ll notice how fast they load and how well they run.
According to a post published on the Chinese social network Weibo by Kumamoto Technology, the device will offer 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. However, we just might see another version with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of space, which could be launched at a later date.
The post also mentions a fingerprint scanner located on the front and a larger 3,600 mAh battery. For comparison, the battery found in the OnePlus 3T has a capacity of 3,400 mAh. It will obviously support the company’s Dash Charge technology, which will likely be even better this year. The flagship is expected to get fully charged a lot faster (by 25 percent) when compared to its predecessor.
OnePlus 5: camera
Keeping up with the latest trends, the OnePlus 5 is also expected to feature a dual-camera setup on the back, just like the Huawei P10, LG G6, and many other modern devices. Kumamoto Technology claims that the two cameras will be positioned horizontally, and not vertically as previously rumored.
What’s more, OnePlus recently revealed that it had teamed up with DxO, the company behind DxOMark, to “enhance your photography experience” on the OnePlus 5. DxOMark is the benchmark for camera and lens image quality measurements and ratings but what exactly this partnership will lead to OnePlus didn’t make clear.
OnePlus also recently launched a new photo competition, giving fans a chance to test the OnePlus 5 before anyone else. The competition involves submitting your three best Instagram photos — taken with a smartphone — with the company: find out more about that here, and take a look at the kinds of photos the OnePlus 5 could be capable of in this news story.
OnePlus 5: headphone jack
An important question regarding the OnePlus 5 remains unanswered at this point, which is whether or not it will have a headphone jack. This is something that’s still very important to many users and Carl Pei, who is one of the co-founders of the company, actually conducted a poll on Twitter on this topic a while back. As you can see below, most of the participants (88 percent) think that the headphone jack is still a valuable part of a smartphone.
Do you like headphone jacks?
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) October 25, 2016
More recently, Pei tweeted the question “Why did the headphone jack cross the road?” This, of course, appears to be a reference to the joke which usually has the punchline: “To get to the other side,” which many have taken as a hint that the headphone jack will appear on the OnePlus 5, but at the top of the device rather than the bottom (as it did on previous handsets). Seems like a safe bet.
OnePlus 5: software
When it comes to software, the OnePlus 5 will run the latest and greatest Android Nougat with the OxygenOS skin on top. It doesn’t change the look and feel of Android too much but does add a bunch of customization options as well as “Shelf”, which offers quick access to recent contacts, and frequently used apps, among other things.
OnePlus 5: design
Just like its predecessors, the OnePlus 5 is expected to have a very simple design that doesn’t stand out from the crowd too much. Some rumors claim that it will feature a metal body and look quite similar to the OnePlus 3T, while others say that the company will opt for a glass design this year.
We haven’t seen any OnePlus 5 photos yet, but we do have an exclusive look at a prototype model, which you can take a look at below.
This is not the OnePlus 5, but it does give us a glimpse at the design that OnePlus is aiming for: it looks like a metal unit, with a dual-camera setup (as previously rumored) and lacking a rear fingerprint scanner. This reflects recent comments made by OnePlus CEO Pete Lau who said that the fingerprint scanner would appear on the front of the device — something that would also almost certainly rule out a bezel-less design like the Samsung Galaxy S8 or LG G6.
There’s a good chance that the OnePlus won’t be much different when compared to its predecessor based on the fact that the design of the 3T was quite well received among consumers. However, we do expect to see at least some changes along with a new color option or two.
Speaking of which, OnePlus recently tweeted some color options which are no-so-subtly linked to the OnePlus 5 (notice how the “S” of should has been replaced by a number 5). Once again, these may not all appear as variants of the final version of the device — color 2, which OnePlus calls “Unicorn”, would be a particularly bold choice — but we can assume it won’t just come in black and gold.
What 5hould the color of your next phone be?
pic.twitter.com/5FevP1VSq5
— OnePlus (@oneplus) May 22, 2017
OnePlus 5: price
One of the main reasons OnePlus devices are so popular among consumers is because they offer great bang for your buck. However, the company has been increasing prices with each new model (with the exception of the OnePlus X). The OnePlus One started at $299, its successor retailed for $329, while the OnePlus 3 was available for $399. The current flagship, the 3T, is the most expensive OnePlus device to date with a starting price of $439.
Though pricing isn’t confirmed yet, one of our sources stated that it would be higher than the OnePlus predecessors, and could reach as much as $650. The price hike comes as the result of the costs involved with the “components and design” of the device, as you might expect. Nothing is guaranteed, but it looks pretty likely that the OnePlus 5 will cost in excess of $440.
These are all the rumors regarding the OnePlus 5 we have come across so far. We’ll update this page as soon as we hear more.
Meanwhile, do let us know what you think about the upcoming smartphone. Would you consider buying it even if it will be more expensive than its predecessor? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
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