In short: A new render said to depict the upper part of the OnePlus 6T rear panel emerged online earlier today, showing a design similar to that of the OnePlus 6 but one that does away with the fingerprint reader beneath the phone’s camera setup. The above image also dispels recent rumors about the device adopting a triple-camera setup which was based on the fact that the OPPO R17 Pro features one and that the Chinese manufacturer’s main Android smartphone line was often used as the basis for OnePlus devices in the past, with the two being owned by the same company – BBK Electronics.
Background: OnePlus already confirmed its next flagship will feature an in-screen fingerprint reader, which is why there’s no such module beneath the camera setup shown by the new leak. The handset will also feature a smaller, waterdrop-styled display notch, as well as an alert slider. The newly emerged render doesn’t show a dual-LED flash, though the OnePlus 6T is bound to feature one. What will be missing from the upcoming device is a 3.5mm headphone jack, with the Chinese manufacturer claiming over half of its customers already own some kind of wireless headphones, citing a survey conducted on its online forum. The decision prompted some consumer backlash but isn’t expected to significantly affect the commercial performance of the OnePlus 6T, especially given how the device is set to be picked up by T-Mobile in the United States, which is likely to boost its sales by at least tens of thousands of units. The OnePlus 6T is expected to be announced on October 17, based on a recently shared teaser from the company.
Impact: The new render and the firm’s official teasers suggest the OnePlus 6T will deliver several novelties to the popular smartphone lineup and essentially offer a refined take on the OnePlus 6 formula. Combined with the aforementioned T-Mobile partnership, the upcoming Android handset is likely to be the best-selling product from OnePlus to date.