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OnePlus says it will continue making cheaper phones

By Anam Hamid

Published: May 26, 2020, 4:31 PM

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OnePlus says it will continue making cheaper phones

If you think OnePlus has betrayed its roots, that's not quite true.

Fast Company reports that the company's founder and CEO Pete Lau is still very much a proponent of cheap phones.

OnePlus, which started out as a flagship killer company, has slowly been increasing prices of its handsets. This year's OnePlus 8 Pro is its most expensive handset to date.
But that's just a part of its broader plan to have a more varied portfolio.

Lau was probably hinting at the OnePlus Z

Lau said that a cheaper device is on the way, which will first be launched in India, before making it to North America and Europe. Chances are that this would be the rumored OnePlus Z, which many believe is a scaled-back version of the OnePlus 8.

The manufacturer understands that a huge chunk of consumers still prefer affordable phones and releasing one will help the company get more people into its ecosystem. Otherwise, people have a lot of options to choose from, including the new iPhone SE, Google Pixel 3a, and various Samsung midrangers.

Lau has also assured consumers that despite being cheaper, the new device would be up to OnePlus' standards. Per rumors, the OnePlus Z will sport a 6.4-inches screen, include a triple camera system, and pack in a 4,000mAh battery.

And in case you are wondering, it's not the failure of OnePlus 8 in the premium market that's making the company go back to cheaper phones. Per a Counterpoint Research report cited by the company, it was the fourth most popular brand for handsets priced $400 or more. So, it doesn't seem like the firm has given up on plans to make pricey premium phones.

However, there will apparently be no McLaren version this year. These special edition phones are pricier than the standard ones and given that the OnePlus 8 Pro is already quite expensive for a OnePlus phone, a McLaren variant would be pushing the limits.

If rumors are to be believed, the OnePlus Z should be here by mid-2020.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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