OnePlus TV finally has a release date, and it’s sooner than you might think. According to OnePlus CEO Pete Lau OnePlus TV will launch next month, just not in the US.
The initial target market will be India, with OnePlus completely avoiding the US market for the time being.
The device showing up on the Bluetooth SIG website back on August 8 seemed to suggest that the US would be seeing the product soon. That may still be the case, but it looks like it’ll be pushed further out.
A North American Release Is Still In The Cards
OnePlus decision to keep the OnePlus TV off US shelves may be a sour note for some consumers. OnePlus seems to have its reasons, though. According to Lau, the company is holding off on a US launch because it needs more to shore up partnerships.
OnePlus is working to establish partnerships with local and regional content providers in the US. These partnerships will likely play a role in how content is delivered to the consumer.
This also suggests that whatever deals OnePlus is trying to make, they may tie into the version of Android on the TV.
It’s also possible that OnePlus is simply trying to establish these partnerships so it has something different to offer to the user that other Android TV products don’t.
No Confirmed US Launch Window Means It Could Take A While
It’s easy to think that a launch for the Indian market in September would point to a launch in the US soon after. However, companies don’t withhold this kind of specific information for no reason.
OnePlus didn’t share US launch date details because it has nothing to share. More to the point, Lau was clear that the reason the company isn’t launching the TV in the US yet because it’s trying to ink deals with content providers.
These sorts of deals don’t happen overnight. They take time. So for the time being US customers are waiting until OnePlus reaches an agreement with US content providers. Which probably means the US launch of OnePlus TV isn’t happening for a while.
This also adds a bit of mystery about what the TV may offer the user. OnePlus wants these US partnerships for a reason.
As it seems clear that OnePlus feels the partnerships will enhance the TV for the US consumer. The question is how will the partnerships affect the end product if at all.