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On one side of the coin, there has been a bit of a lull when it comes to smartphone releases. On the other side, the rumor mill has been working overtime (and then some) providing us insights into new devices set to launch sometime this year. As of late, OnePlus has turned itself into a hype train for its 2020 mid-range handset, the OnePlus Nord.
It all began with a few teases, and then some officially-revealed information, including an appearance by Carl Pei where he shared some of the company’s design thoughts. Now, we’re finally set and ready to see how OnePlus is planning to dominate 2020 (at least in some markets).
What to expect from OnePlus
The OnePlus Nord is slated to be one of the more popular devices launched in 2020, despite the fact that it is not yet slated to be launched in North America. With the Pixel 4a delayed until whenever Google decides to unveil it, the Nord could very well end up as the best and most popular phone of the entire calendar year.
OnePlus Nord rumored/confirmed specs
- 6.55-inch Super AMOLED Display
- 90Hz Refresh rate
- Front Cameras: 8MP Ultrawide / 32MP Primary
- Rear Cameras: 48MP Wide / 8MP Ultrawide / 5MP Depth / 2MP Macro
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
- Up to 12GB of RAM
- 128GB of storage
- 4,300 mAh battery
- 30W charging
- €500
There are few things about the Nord that have us incredibly excited. Not only does the device sport a 6.55-inch AMOLED display, but it has a 90Hz refresh rate that is even better than that of the OnePlus 7T. The Nord also comes as the first OnePlus device to feature a total of SIX cameras, with four housed on the back, and the other two coming in on the front. What will be interesting to see is whether OnePlus has learned its lesson from the past, and actually packed in some solid camera sensors so that the Nord won’t be a dud in that regard.
Other specs include the Snapdragon 765G and up to 12GB of RAM, which is an insane combination in the mid-range tier. The 765G is optimized for gaming, but will also give Nord owners access to 5G networks once they become available in more areas. There will be 128GB of onboard storage, and in true OnePlus fashion, this won’t be expandable, which is still rather frustrating.
The 4,300mAh battery slated for the Nord is middle of the pack, but users will get access to OnePlus’ Warp Charge technology at 30W. Making sure your phone is topped off all the time is important, but being able to get up to 70% in less than an hour is insane, and it’s coming to this bad boy.
Finally, and the most exciting part about the Nord is the price. OnePlus has already confirmed that it will be priced at €500 in Europe and India. Getting all of these specs in a package as sleek as the Nord looks is just incredible, and it’s a market that the Pixel 4a was supposed to take advantage of. However, since Google has been pumping the breaks after its rumored launch at I/O 2020, it’s now OnePlus’ moment to shine.
From a software standpoint, you won’t be getting anything different from any other OnePlus handset, with two minor exceptions. The company has confirmed that it will be switching to Google’s Phone and Messages app, likely to help support RCS messaging. Not a major accomplishment, but a welcome one nonetheless.
New earbuds
As the anticipation continued to grow for the Nord, and we get closer to the launch date, OnePlus also confirmed that it would be releasing a set of truly-wireless earbuds. There was speculation as to what they would look like, and what features would be onboard, but the only real glimpse came in the aforementioned MKBHD interview with Carl Pei.
Then, some folks in the Android community, including Max Weinbach of XDA Developers, Android Police, and 9to5Google discovered some full-res images in an APK. OnePlus is preparing its devices to be compatible with the new OnePlus Buds, and a recent update to the OnePlus 8 brought this APK, complete with the images showing off what’s to come.
In addition to previous confirmations, the APK also confirmed a few references to what the Buds will be capable of:
- Translation
- Active Noise Cancellation
- Quick Pairing
- Dolby Atmos Support
- Custom Sound Profiles
This, paired with the rumored seven hours of battery life (30 hours including the case), and these could be a hot commodity for the months to come.
In the latest OnePlus 8 update, OnePlus added a OnePlus Buds apk with full res images of the OnePlus Buds. Here are the renders. pic.twitter.com/KJFskESIpN
— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) July 19, 2020
How to watch the Nord Launch Event
Enough fo the rambling, you likely want to know how you’ll be able to watch the event yourself. With the current state of affairs in the world, OnePlus is going the virtual route for unveiling its latest handset.
From the app
The way that OnePlus wants you to experience the event and the release of its brand new phone is through the OnePlus Nord AR app. It’s a pretty neat and nifty way to see what the Nord will look like through the screen of your current phone, putting it practically right in front of you.
- Download the OnePlus Nord AR app (Android | iOS).
- Open the app.
- Create an avatar if you want to, or skip it altogether.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to create an AR space.
- You will see an outline of the phone along with a countdown timer of the launch.
Watch the event live
As you would expect, OnePlus is also expected to live-stream the event. The stream will be available on the OnePlus YouTube channel, but you can also head over to the Nord landing page to watch it.
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