Earlier this month rumors started swirling that OnePlus might be halting the production of its very popular OnePlus 3 flagship, and focus on a brand new, updated model. Those rumors are back now and they’ve brought some evidence along for the ride.
OnePlus is expected to announce the launch a new handset, supposedly called the 3T, which will offer mildly updated specs over the current model. A new device, with model number A3010 has already passed through China’s Compulsory Certification, similar to the FCC, lending credence to this rumor. A supposed OnePlus designer has also posted a status on Weibo from a OnePlus 3T phone.
Back when the original rumors started, there was strong speculation that OnePlus might opt to switch the current OLED panels inside of the OP3 flagship for LCD displays. This would have helped with the shortages and delays that the company has faced since the launch of its flagship this summer. However, OnePlus’ Carl Pei quickly jumped in and said that the company was definitely sticking with OLED panels.
As such, the only improvement expected inside the OnePlus 3T model is a new processor. That’s the only department where the company has fallen short of the current market, and by no fault of its own. Back when the OnePlus 3 was released, the top-of-the-line model was the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 CPU, but now the Snapdragon 821 is a standard feature of every top-tier device.
It"s clear that with just an updated processor, a possible OnePlus 3 successor like the 3T would not be marketed at existing customers, but rather at those upgrading from older devices or are looking for a brand-new smartphone.
However, if this upgraded model doesn’t help OnePlus with the shortage and delay problems it’s facing, it would be a very peculiar move for the company to launch a new device in the middle of its production cycle.
Source: BGR