OnePlus 8 Pro may be first OnePlus device to feature wireless charging

Those who have been following OnePlus since the very beginning know that the company has never been a fan of wireless charging technology. Back when the OnePlus first stepped into the space, wireless charging was a luxury that would have added significant cost to the company’s phones when they were selling for $400. But as the cost of OnePlus phones started to creep up, the company changed its stance on the topic, claiming that wireless charging simply didn’t meet its high standards.

In a recent interview, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau stated that wireless charging is “too slow” and that “it’s just not worth it” since the company’s Warp Charge technology manages to top off a phone’s battery in roughly an hour. 

But it looks like the recent comment may simply have been some well-timed posturing with the leadup to the debut of the OnePlus 8 Pro in May. A new tweet shred by Max J. shows the outline of the OnePlus 8 Pro on a wireless charger with a caption that reads “Charging like a pro.”

Charge like a pro. pic.twitter.com/Fqnkpsa0mT

— Max Jambor (@MaxJmb) January 21, 2020

The tweet clearly implies that the OnePlus 8 Pro will feature some form of wireless charging, a feature OnePlus fans have been wanting for years. At this time there’s no indication that the OnePlus 8 or the OnePlus 8 lite will be getting the feature as well.

If the rumor turns out to be true, OnePlus will have some explaining to do. Wireless charging hasn’t seen big changes since 2015 when the Qi standard was updated to version 1.2 which added support for 15 W charging. Besides the commoditizing of the technology which has significantly reduced its price, why would OnePlus wait until the middle of 2020 to add a feature its fans have been asking for since day one?

Regardless of the why, the inclusion of wireless charging on the OnePlus 8 Pro will give the phone one more feature to match what flagship smartphones have been offering for years.

Let’s just hope OnePlus can find a way to keep the price of the OnePlus 8 Pro below $800.

Source: Android Central