In this post, which will be updated regularly, we take a closer look at the latest rumors surrounding the upcoming OnePlus 5.

The OnePlus 3T was one of the best budget smartphones of 2016. The device offers high-end specs and is a lot more affordable when compared with rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy S7, HTC 10, LG G5, and others. The Chinese manufacturer will again use the same strategy this year for its upcoming flagship, likely to be called the OnePlus 5. We once again expect to see a high-end smartphone that will go head to head with the Galaxy S8 and LG G6 but will retail for a lot less.

We have rounded up all the latest rumors regarding the OnePlus 5 in this post, so you can get a better idea of what the device will offer specs-wise, what it will look like, when will it be announced, and how much will it 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 hasn’t confirmed (almost) any of them and probably won’t share many specific details about its flagship before the official reveal.

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. It looks like that won’t happen, as the company is expected to skip the number four and call the smartphone the OnePlus 5.

The reason for this is twofold. For starters, the number four is considered to be unlucky in China due to its association with death. But OnePlus also told The Verge that a lot of its staffers are fans of former NBA basketballer Robert Horry, whose jersey number was five. Regardless of the reasoning, OnePlus will just jump straight to number five for its fifth phone release, despite the fact it might confuse a lot of consumers who live in the West.

Note: OnePlus isn’t the only Chinese company that avoids the number four. Vivo, for example, also isn’t its biggest fan and normally skips it when naming devices too.

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 1 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 has recently confirmed this to The Verge. Our best guess is that the flagship will be announced at the end of June or in July.

The good news is that you won’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 but not by much, 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.

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. It will be powered by the latest Snapdragon 835 chipset that is also found in the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Xiaomi Mi 6.

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 reasons, 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.

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 a few other devices. Kumamoto Technology claims that the two cameras will be positioned horizontally, and not vertically as previously rumored.

An important question regarding the OnePlus 5 remains unanswered at this point, which is whether or not it will have a headphone jack. Our best guess is that OnePlus won’t decide to ditch it, as it is still very important for the majority of users. 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.

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

Unfortunately, we don’t have a ton of info to share with you when it comes to the design of the OnePlus 5. We have only come across one alleged image of the device so far, which was posted online by India Today. It only shows the back of the smartphone, revealing the dual-camera setup, a metal body, and a slightly curved back.

However, we have our doubts about the authenticity of the photo. Some things just don’t add up, which you can learn more about by clicking here.

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.

Those of you hoping that the device will have a bezel-less design like the Samsung Galaxy S8 or LG G6 will probably be disappointed. As already mentioned in the specs section above, the flagship will have a front-mounted fingerprint scanner, which does require a certain amount of space below the screen. The manufacturing costs of that kind of display may well be out of OnePlus’ profit margins too.

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. Nothing has been confirmed yet, so we’ll have to wait for the official reveal to see whether or not this is true.

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, it is worth pointing out that the company has been increasing prices with each new model. The OnePlus 1 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.

So it’s quite possible that the OnePlus 5 will be more expensive than its predecessor, although it’s hard to say how much exactly. Our best guess is that it won’t retail for more than $500 and even that would depend on things like whether or not it features a dual camera. There’s still a chance that it will carry the same price tag as the 3T, which is something I’m sure consumers would welcome with open arms, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.

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.