In early 2014, a package landed on my desk. Inside was a phone from a company that I knew very little about at the time, which came with the company's bold claim to
Never Settle '', y una etiqueta autoconferida. Badge Assassin.'' The OnePlus One had arrived. He was skeptical, but using the phone changed his mind. In our review, we stated that "the OnePlus One's performance-to-price ratio is one of the most impressive we've seen in a smartphone. We can't see a better alternative, or a cheaper one." What followed was a procession of flagships. affordable, getting better with each generation as OnePlus went from 2 to 3 to 5 (there was no OnePlus 4); however, not all of the changes were welcomed by the company's growing fan base. OnePlus began introducing ``T'' models, starting with the OnePlus 3T, which arrived six months after a new flagship generation with minimal updates, with each new phone tending to be priced higher than the last. As OnePlus phone prices continued to rise, the "flagship killer" was becoming another flagship manufacturer. Its latest generation of phones, the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro, are great high-end devices, but they're also the most expensive in the business to date. The OnePlus voice community has started voicing their frustrations at the ever-rising prices. OnePlus had started out as an outsider, facing an industry that was constantly jacking up prices, and fans were worried OnePlus had lost its way. Now OnePlus wants to set the record straight. It's launching a new range of affordable phones, the first of which is the OnePlus Nord. We caught up with Carl Pei, Vice President of OnePlus North, for an exclusive conversation about the new phone and what it means for consumers and fans of the brand.
Because right now?
This isn't the first time OnePlus has released a more affordable device right after a flagship phone. In 2015, three months after the arrival of the OnePlus 2, it launched the cheaper OnePlus X. However, this combo failed to gain traction and was discontinued seven months later. As Pei acknowledges, "it was great on its own, but it's not a great product for this basic tech target audience."
![OnePlus X]()
The affordable OnePlus X was short-lived (Image credit: TechRadar) Five years on, OnePlus is once again launching into mid-range territory. You've seen an increase in viewership (and prices) over this period, and you're confident you're now in the right place, technologically speaking, to make your new offering a success. "We've been looking at the mid-range smartphone market for some time," says Pei. "It's just that we felt the technology wasn't really there to be able to create a mid-range product that lived up to our 'Never Settle' philosophy. Just do that." Comparisons will be drawn between the North and the X, and this is understandable, but OnePlus is adamant: this is a new chapter for the company, rather than a nostalgia trip. In a media message on June 23, 2020, OnePlus founder and CEO Pete Lau said: "To be clear, this is not a reactionary attempt to 'go back to our roots,' as some people have speculated. "And since our 'roots' are in creating the best flagship smartphones, I see this part of our strategy as an important extension of OnePlus' value proposition."Whether or not you agree with the From Lau's comments, OnePlus is clear that it is looking to continue its flagship offering alongside a range of new, more affordable products, starting with the OnePlus North.
Many?
With an ever-growing audience, OnePlus now has more people to satisfy, and its current high-end offerings have cost some fans something that hasn't hesitated to reach out to OnePlus. "Other consumers need a OnePlus product at a more affordable price," says Pei. "I'm sure you've seen the comments online, people have asked for the last two years." Lau separately confirmed to TechRadar that the OnePlus North price would be €500 in Europe, and OnePlus later confirmed that the price of the North would come in "under $500" (around $410 / AU$730), which shows it goes hand in hand with the new iPhone SE, as well as devices from Chinese competitors including the Honor 20 Pro, Oppo Reno 2 and Xiaomi Mi Note 10. Lau also revealed, in an article on the OnePlus forum, that OnePlus North would arrive in Europe and India first, while "several users in North America will also have the opportunity to discover the new device through a program very limited beta after launch." Google Pixel 3a XL Verizon ... Honor 20 Pro Global Version ... Global Version Xiaomi Mi Note ...
What do we offer?
Now that we know the name of the OnePlus Nord, how long it will take back, and where it will be available first, what does this affordable phone really offer? OnePlus North comes down to three things; OnePlus camera, user experience and quality "For us, this product really comes down to three things," says Pei. "The first is the camera, the second is our user experience, and I think the third is the OnePlus quality." One of the main reasons Pei believes the OnePlus Nord will be able to compete in a crowded mid-range market is its proposition flagship camera. "We've seen it. The camera is probably the most used feature on a smartphone," he says. This is use case number one, so if we wanted to create a great product, the camera had to be great. "With OnePlus Nord, we're offering a flagship-level camera in the mid-range price range, which I think will be very exciting for consumers." At the moment, we do not know what the camera hardware will be, but it is not the only objective of the company. OnePlus has found that consumers are fans of its Oxygen OS interface and the range of optimization and customization it allows. Speaking about the user experience aspect of the OnePlus Nord, Pei notes that "it's not just the hardware, but also the way we optimize the software, the animations, to make sure every part of it is really transparent." The third point is the design and what Pei describes as "OnePlus quality". OnePlus is leveraging the power of its brand to lure consumers to its affordable phone, promising the same high standards as its flagship line. "We wanted to launch a mid-range smartphone that lived up to OnePlus quality," he explains. "All tests are performed exactly to the flagship standard. So when consumers purchase a more reasonably priced OnePlus product, they can expect the same rigorous quality testing as all of our flagship phones." A separate, dedicated team has been created within OnePlus to focus solely on the new mid-range product line, which Pei says will allow the company to get "all the little details right, as we did for the flagship." attention to detail will really set us apart," he continues, "and there are countless little stories about the things we did, the adjustments we made. "I don't think any of them are worth mentioning or talking about, but the hope is that the consumer receive the phone, You may not know everything we did to make this product, you will surely feel it. "
The driving force
Pei has yet to reveal the details of the cameras, software, or design, but has revealed what will drive the user experience on OnePlus North. OnePlus Nord uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G chipset The phone will come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G chipset, and it's this technology that has unlocked the potential of an affordable OnePlus device without the company making too many compromises – don't forget the 'Nettle Settle' mantra ' '. Although not Qualcomm's flagship chip, the 765G sits between the flagship 8 series and the midrange 6 series, incorporating many features of the high-end chipset. We found the 765G to perform well in our LG Velvet review, which should bode well for the OnePlus Nord. The OnePlus Nord is a 5G phone. The inclusion of the 765G chipset means the Nord will also support 5G, allowing users to take advantage of the next-generation network if they live in a coverage area. Pei believes that the inclusion of 5G in the mid-range North "is more of a peace of mind, it's more of a solution for the future," rather than offering advanced technology to early adopters who are usually drawn to flagship devices. It's for consumers who know 5G is coming and know it's not fully rolled out yet, but want the security of knowing that if they buy the North, they'll be ready when 5G becomes widely available.
What now?
Does OnePlus have the right ingredients for midrange success? Not surprisingly, Pei thinks so, saying "from our understanding of what makes a great phone, I think that's about it. "Great camera, really fast, smooth and fluid experience, and a device designed by someone you trust. to make a good phone. That's the whole concept behind the first product, the OnePlus Nord." OnePlus talks about a good game, and the OnePlus Nord's pricing puts it at an exciting point in the market; and also makes it cheaper than the OnePlus 8 series, offering a clear distinction between the ranges Whether or not the North is taking off remains to be seen We've seen a lot of interest in our OnePlus 8 Lite and OnePlus Z rumor reports, suggesting there's consumer interest in an affordable OnePlus smartphone But that doesn't guarantee sales. We'll have to wait for more details about the OnePlus Nord to be released, and until the phone is reviewed, before we can properly comment on this new direction for the brand. OnePlus isn't stopping there, though. As we mentioned earlier, Lau hinted at affordable devices destined for North America, and in May of this year, in an interview with Fast Company, he also revealed that OnePlus was looking to diversify its product lines to create its own ecosystem along the lines of Apple. . The company already produces its own line of Bullets headphones, launched OnePlus TV in India, and it looks like the company will have more in the near future. The affordable OnePlus North is just the beginning.