OnePlus typically announces a couple of smartphones a year but in 2019, it announced two options of the first smartphone - the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro, as well as two options of the "T" version in
the OnePlus 7T and
OnePlus 7T Pro.
In 2020, it looks like OnePlus is stepping up the pace, expect to announce the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro, as well as the
OnePlus 8 Lite. Here is everything we have heard so far about the forthcoming OnePlus phones.
Release date and price
- May 2020
- From around £549
The OnePlus 8 family of phones are expected to arrive sometime in the first half of 2020, likely May. The OnePlus 6 was revealed on 22 May and
the OnePlus 7 and
7 Pro were revealed on 14 May.
The OnePlus 7T series starts at £549, with the Pro model starting at £699. We would expect the OnePlus 8 series to stay around the same price point, possibly with a slight increase.
Design
- Fullscreen, punch-hole cameras
- 8: IP53; 8 Pro IP68
The OnePlus 7T has a waterdrop notch at the top of its display, while the 7T Pro has a pop-up front camera, allowing for an uninterrupted display. Early renders of the OnePlus 8 series suggest OnePlus will opt for
a punch-hole design for its next devices though.
We expect the alert slider to remain and we expect a premium build quality too. The OnePlus 7T has a circular camera housing on the rear, while the OnePlus 7T Pro has a vertical housing. Renders suggest both OnePlus 8 models will opt for a vertical camera housing design in the center of the back. This is something that appears on
the OnePlus Concept One, which while announced as a concept and nothing more, is a likely hint of the overall design of the phone.
A leaked spec breakdown has suggested an alloy frame with glass back, using Gorilla Glass 6 for the front. Interestingly, the OnePlus 8 is said to have an IP53 rating, while the OnePlus 8 Pro has an IP68 rating - meaning it's a lot more waterproof than previous devices.
Display
- 8: 6.4-inch AMOLED, 2400 x 1080, 120Hz
- 8 Pro: 6.7-inch AMOLED, 3140 x 1440, 120Hz
- In-display fingerprint sensor
OnePlus has said that it's not going back to 60Hz displays, meaning you'll get at least 90Hz from the new devices, with the OnePlus 8 Pro said to sport a 120Hz display. That
120Hz display technology has been shown off by OnePlus, so this is as good as confirmation that it will be on the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro.
OnePlus says that it's deploying TV tech to boost the performance of the panel, not only with 10-bit color (meaning it's likely to be HDR+ compatible) but also with dedicated hardware that will handle MEMC - frame insertion technology - that aims to make video smoother by boosting everything to 120Hz.
That tech might make video smoother, but it might also lead to what's commonly called the "soap opera effect", where the video starts to look unnatural as it moves from the native frame rate - 24 or 30fps - to 120fps.
Both phones will come with an AMOLED panel, but the Pro gets a 6.7-inch display with a 3140 x 1440 resolution; the OnePlus 8 will be a smaller 6.4-inch display with a 2400 x 1080 resolution, according to leaks.
We're expecting both the 8 and the 8 Pro to curve towards the edges, rather than having a flat-display like the OnePlus 7T - but the
OnePlus 8 Lite will likely be flat instead.
Hardware
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
- X55 modem for 5G
- 8/12GB, 128/256GB storage
- 4000/4500mAh battery, with wireless charging
Thanks to a leaked spec sheet, we have detailed specs - although they are still confirmed. It looks like the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro will use the
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 and will offer
5G capabilities. The leaked spec sheet mentions Qualcomm's X55 5G modem - although there might be 4G versions.
It's said that it will be launching on the Verizon network in the US - a first for OnePlus - and that it will support 5G on Verizon. That's expected from the X55 modem which supports all bands.
There's said to be 8GB RAM as standard with storage of 128 or 256GB as an option - the OnePlus 8 Pro is also expected to have a 12GB option.
The OnePlus 8 will get a 4000mAh battery with support for 30W Warp Charge, while the OnePlus 8 Pro will have a 4500mAh battery with 50W Super Warp Charge. It's also said that there will be wireless charging, something that OnePlus has avoided so far, previously saying that it wasn't a priority for the company.
Cameras
- The triple camera on both - 64/20/12-megapixels
- Front ToF sensor on 8 Pro
Early images suggested that there will be a single front camera on the OnePlus 8 model, with the 8 Pro getting two front cameras. This is likely a 32-megapixel front camera, with the Pro model getting a Time of Flight sensor that's going to be used for 3D face recognition for unlocking.
Both are said to have a 64-megapixel f/1.7 main camera, 20-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, and 12-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto camera. The arrangements of these cameras look broadly similar to the OnePlus 7T Pro. The main sensor is said to be the Sony IMX686.
Software
The OnePlus 7T series launched on
Android 10 out of the box so we're expecting the same treatment for the OnePlus 8 models. We'd also expect the 8 models to get a quick update to Android 11 when it arrives later in 2020.
OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro rumours: What's happened so far?
Here are all the rumours relating to the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro we have heard so far.
24 January 2020: Could OnePlus 8 Pro be the company's first with wireless charging?
A reliable leaker has suggested that you'll be able to "charge like a pro", hinting that OnePlus will be adding wireless charging to the OnePlus 8 Pro.
