OnePlus launches OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7 Pro 5G as it straddles premium, mid-premium smartphones
OnePlus Pro 7
CNE
OnePlus rolled out its OnePlus 7 series of flagship devices, including the OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro, and OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, with availability ranging from May 21 to June. Given the mix of features and pricing the OnePlus 7 Pro could turn out to be a solid bring your own device contender.
The price tags range from £699 to £799 or $669 to $749 for the OnePlus 7 Pro, depending on the RAM and storage configuration. OnePlus is pitching the new devices via a series of pop-up stores globally. The plan is to highlight the device in areas throughout Europe, as well as the US, India, and China. US OnePlus pop-up stores will launch in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Las Vegas, as well as other cities. CNET's review gave the OnePlus 7 Pro high marks.
See it now: OnePlus 7 range at OnePlus
OnePlus is positioning its devices as premium, but with a lower price than many premium devices. It remains to be seen how OnePlus 7 Pro fares in the bring your own device to work market, but certainly the specifications are there.
Mid-tier smartphones may be a hot area for tech buyers given the transition to 4G to 5G. 5G devices are typically sold at a premium, but with a life cycle of anywhere from two to three years for smartphones manufacturers may see challenges. Tech buyers must choose between a 4G device to be a bridge to 5G and wait for use cases, or pay up now. OnePlus is threading the needle between the various categories.
The OnePlus flagships land just a few days after Google launched its Pixel 3a devices with an aggressive price point.
At an event in New York City, Kyle Kiang, general manager North America for OnePlus, outlined key features and made the following points:
- OnePlus 7 Pro has a new design that's designed to "disappear in your hand," said Kiang.
- Fluid AMOLED display is designed to be a differentiator for the device. The screen will automatically adjust for night viewing and light conditions.
- Horizon Light is a feature that will give you a trace of blue light when a notification arrives.
- OnePlus is positioning its OnePlus 7 Pro as one of the best devices on the market instead of an alternative to rival flagships. OnePlus is No. 5 premium smartphone vendor in US, according to IDC. OnePlus has received a big boost from T-Mobile.
- The camera improvements are the big sell for the OnePlus 7 Pro as the event in New York City featured a bevy of shots from top photographers. For instance, Carlton Ward Jr., a photographer at National Geographic, shared pictures from a week of shooting with the OnePlus 7 Pro.
- OnePlus' version of Android was pitched as a selling point and an "essential software experience" -- with a strong user experience as well as regular updates as Google rolls out new versions of the mobile OS. OnePlus' OxygenOS is based on Android 9.0 Pie.
According to Pete Lau, CEO of OnePlus, the focus has been on the display and user experience. The OnePlus 7 Pro has a 90Hz display that refreshes 90 times a second at a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The OnePlus 7 Pro also has a 6.67-inch curved glass display and triple cameras.
Also: The Pixel 3A is official: Here's what you need to know| Android Q: Everything you need to know | CNET's Pixel 3a review
The rear cameras on the OnePlus 7 Pro feature a 48-megapixel sensor with OIS, an 8-megapixel 78mm telephoto lens at f/2.4 and 1μm pixel size and stabilized by OIS, and a 16-megapixel 117 degree ultra-wide angle lens at f/2.2. There's also a night/low light mode that's becoming standard on Android devices. The cameras leverage OnePlus' UltraShot engine.
As for the processor, the OnePlus 7 Pro runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 with up to 12GB of RAM. A 5G version of the OnePlus 7 Pro will launch exclusively with EE in the UK and Elisa in Finland. The company said it will detail pricing and availability later for its 5G device later.
The OnePlus 7 has similar packaging, but has dual cameras based on Sony's IMX586 58MP sensor. OnePlus also launched wireless headphones dubbed Bullets Wireless 2.
Here's a look at the availability and pricing as well as the specs.
OnePlus 7 models up close: Specs, features, and colors
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