It’s been rumored for some time now that OnePlus was preparing an updated version of the OnePlus 3. More recently, the updated device was expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 and, only yesterday, was this teased by Qualcomm itself. Today, though, OnePlus has essentially confirmed the existence of the device, expected to be called the OnePlus 3T.
In a similar style to Qualcomm’s teaser, OnePlus today sent out a tweet announcing that a new product was just around the corner, one which will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 and one which will see its official announcement made on November 15th, specifically at 1PM EST through Facebook Live. The device, which is expected to look like a near-identical copy of the OnePlus 3, at least on the outside, is expected to come with many of the same features and specs, with only a few minor changes which will allow the device to compete with the likes of Google’s new Pixel lineup, as well as other recently launched flagship devices such as the Huawei Mate 9 and LG V20.
Regarding the updated specs, the biggest change, as both Qualcomm and OnePlus have teased, is the inclusion of the Snapdragon 821, replacing the Snapdragon 820 seen in the OnePlus 3, which should provide a 10% boost in performance. In addition to this, OnePlus is also expected to include a new camera sensor, specifically the Sony IMX398 sensor, which, while featuring the same 16-megapixel resolution should improve image quality thanks to the larger f/1.7 aperture. Lastly, one other change which will surely please many customers is an increase in battery size going from a 3000mAh battery in the OnePlus 3 to a larger 3300mAh capacity unit in the new model. On one last note, the accommodation for the larger battery hints at the total or partial removal of the largely despised camera bump, something that, if true, could improve the device’s design significantly. It remains to be seen what the final device will include and what it will be priced at, but if rumors are anything to go by, it appears OnePlus may be preparing to charge customers $479, a full $80 more than the original OnePlus 3, meaning the OnePlus 3T may well become the most expensive OnePlus device yet.