Like the previous year, OnePlus is now rumoured to give its 2017 flagship a mid-year upgrade in the form of OnePlus 5T. There are a number of rumours around the phone and all of them tell a different story. The only thing that all the rumours speak of in unison is the presence of an 18:9 display with thinner bezels.
But the leaks are a bit confusing this time around. Some of the reports say that the phone wouldn’t be out until early 2018 while the others claim that OnePlus will be launching the flagship next month itself. There is a confusion with its name as well, we’re still not sure if it will be called OnePlus 5T or OnePlus 6.
GizmoChina recently posted an image of a phone with thin bezels and claimed it to be the OnePlus 5T that will be launched in November. Now, while we want to believe about the date, which is similar to the launch schedule of the OnePlus 3T, the image itself is worthy of doubt. The image that the publication claimed to be of the OnePlus 5T is actually of the Oppo F5 that is also yet to be launched.
The Oppo F5 is an upcoming phone from the Chinese smartphone maker that will have dual cameras on the front as well as a display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels. It was leaked a few days back in a commercial and a few images that showed the device from all its sides. Another thing that confirms the device to be an Oppo device is the OS it can be seen running.
But we shouldn’t forget that OnePlus 5 also had a design that was heavily inspired from an Oppo device called the Oppo R11. The two phones are awfully similar to one another. And the OnePlus 5 was launched just a couple of weeks after the Oppo R11 went official.
Being owned by the same Chinese company, the two brands share a lot between themselves than we think of. For example, Dash Charge on OnePlus is originally the VOOC Charge by Oppo. And not to forget, the OnePlus 5 is manufactured in India by Oppo.
The point is, OnePlus 5T, or whatever it ends up being called, might actually be the Oppo F5 but with a different brand label on the back. The tentative time for the launch of OnePlus 5T is suggested to be November this year, while the Oppo F5 will go official on October 26th, which also makes the timing perfect for OnePlus.
Apart from a big bump in the display that will also contribute to a significant change in the design of the phone, the battery is also expected to get a boost. The OnePlus 3T came with a larger 3400mAh battery against 3000mAh used in the OnePlus 3. The OnePlus 5 was launched with a slightly smaller battery at 3300mAh and we expect the company to make it a tad bigger this time.
In the current market scenario, it seems that OnePlus desperately needs a mid-year smartphone to cope with the growing craze for bezel-less displays. OnePlus 5 couldn’t be launched with a display with thin bezels due to some design and cost constraints but the things have changed now. It would be difficult for OnePlus to stay relevant in the market with a phone that has an outdated design.
Despite the fact that OnePlus has ties with Oppo and takes design inspiration from it, the overall package the company offers is unmatched. Be it the Oxygen OS or the price, OnePlus 5 stands one of the top choices for the customers with a tight budget for a flagship. We hope the OnePlus 5T follows suite and will offer an all new design and an even better value for money.
