You may not have heard of the OnePlus 9R as the sibling to the 9 and 9 Pro hasn't launched in all regions, but according to a rumor OnePlus' year-end phone has. Not the OnePlus 9T, but a spin-off of this R device. This comes from Android Central, which supports rumors that the OnePlus 9T has been cancelled, but also suggests that it will be replaced by the "OnePlus 9 RT" in October. . According to the site, this will only launch in regions where the OnePlus 9R was located, and most countries (like the US and UK) won't get anything. The site also contains specifications for the phone; it will apparently have a Snapdragon 870 chipset, 120Hz display, 4.500mAh battery, 65W charging, and 50MP camera. It looks like a competitive mid-range phone, which is a shame if it doesn't reach a global market. Finally, the phone will apparently debut with OxygenOS 12, OnePlus' version of Android 12, which would make it one of the first phones to run Google's latest operating system. OxygenOS 12 is available in beta for some devices, but it looks like the OnePlus 9 RT could be one of the first devices to get installed.
Analysis: too many regional exclusivities
It is almost difficult to find a OnePlus phone that is available in all regions. While the OnePlus 9 RT is exclusive to India and China, it will join the 9R in that regard. Many of the Nord series devices can only be purchased in Europe and India, but some of the Nord N phones (the cheapest the company offers) are only available for purchase in the United States. In fact, only the main series phones are available in the world. This can make it difficult for potential phone buyers to easily find a OnePlus phone they want to buy. Recommendation websites like Reddit, Forums, and even TechRadar work in many regions. So you might see a glowing review of a business phone and set your heart on it, only to find out that it can't be bought where you live. OnePlus isn't the only company operating in this confusing way: Motorola and Xiaomi offer the same phones in different countries under different names, which is an unnecessary way to trip up customers (and annoy journalists). We can't say for sure how many people were put off by the availability of OnePlus' sparse phone, but we'd certainly be turned off if we were an average shopper. Why try to figure out what phone is available where, if you can switch to another company and buy an available device?