The OnePlus Concept One will showcase the 'future of smartphones' at CES 2020
OnePlus recently confirmed plans to attend CES 2020 in January and announce something “special.” Now, the brand has released a teaser video which provides a little more detail.
The first of many concept smartphones from OnePlus
Published on Chinese social network Weibo, the short 3-second clip reveals the upcoming product will be called “OnePlus Concept One.” Nothing about the product itself is announced in the video but the brand did follow everything up with an official press release.
The name itself, Concept One, is a clear promise that this device is only the first in a series to come and shows OnePlus’ commitment to applied, innovative technology — bringing users an ever smoother, faster, and more ‘burdenless’ experience. The OnePlus Concept One, demonstrates a vision of both new technology and alternate design approach for the future of smartphones.
Therefore, the plan is to unveil an extravagant concept smartphone that probably won’t ever reach production. It will, however, still serve as a platform to preview upcoming technology which is currently being preparing for future devices. Additionally, new materials and design ideas are on the table too.
It’s unclear at this stage what OnePlus has planned for its first concept smartphone but we’re still three weeks away from its unveiling, so more information will likely emerge as the date nears. But possibilities include a preview of the 120Hz display that’s set to grace next year’s OnePlus 8 Pro or perhaps some upcoming camera tech.
The Concept One will precede the OnePlus 8 series
According to the latest rumors, OnePlus is developing an extended range of smartphones that’ll consists of three smartphones rather than the usual two. The OnePlus 8 Pro model will lead the pack with a massive 6.7-inch curved-edge display complete with thin bezels, a small punch-hole for the selfie camera in the top-left corner, and an impressive 120Hz refresh rate.
It’ll be accompanied by a vertical camera setup on the back that houses three separate sensors including the main one, an ultra-wide-angle alternative, and a telephoto shooter. Accompanying these is reportedly going to be a Time-of-Flight sensor and a laser autofocus system.
OnePlus 8 Pro and OnePlus 8
The standard OnePlus 8 is expected to inherit the same camera setup without the added laser autofocus system or Time-of-Flight sensor. This will be paired with a slightly smaller 6.5-inch display up front that’ll likely boast a 90Hz refresh rate rather than 120Hz.
As for the tech specs, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 will be used to power both phones alongside Android 10 and the latest version of Oxygen OS. A minimum of 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is expected inside the OnePlus 8, but an impressive 12/256GB configuration could grace the cheapest OnePlus 8 Pro variant.
OnePlus 8 Lite
The mysterious third model from OnePlus is expected to be called the OnePlus 8 Lite and looks set to represent the brand’s return to the mid-range segment. Leaked CAD-based renders of the phone point towards a flat punch-hole display coupled with slim bezels and a vertical camera module on the rear that’s positioned in the corner. The latter will reportedly house two cameras accompanied by a pair of sensors.
This phone is expected to arrive powered by a Snapdragon 700-series chipset coupled with at least 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. However, because OnePlus hasn’t competed in the mid-range segment for over four years, it’s unclear what sort of pricing strategy the company is planning for the smartphone.