OnePlus will release its budget smartphone offering in the near future, the rumored ‘OnePlus Nord’. We’re still not sure if that will be its name, but that will be confirmed later today as part of the company’s documentary. Ahead of it, Android Central got an opportunity to interview Carl Pei, the company’s co-founder, and get an answer as to why OnePlus decided to release a budget smartphone.
The company will release the first part of its documentary later today, during which it will confirm the phone’s name. That documentary will show you what it takes to release a new smartphone, the struggles behind the scenes, and so on.
The documentary will come in four parts, and only the first one is launching later today. The company will publish it on Instagram, on the newly-opened OnePlusLiteZThing Instagram account.
That being said, Carl Pei did share some information with Android Central, as did the Vice President of OnePlus, France Akis Evangelidis. Both of which have been interviewed.
Mr. Evangelidis did say that this documentary will give OnePlus’ fans great insight. It will show you the ins and outs of a smartphone launch, and how stressful it can be to launch one. That documentary is actually the backbone of the whole launch.
Carl Pei said that he wants OnePlus fans to feel closer to the company. That is what this documentary is supposed to achieve. He mentioned that he never felt close to the companies he loved while growing up, which is why OnePlus often turns to its community for interaction.
OnePlus felt it’s time to release a budget smartphone, for a couple of reasons
The company’s co-founder said that the company felt it’s time to release a budget offering. He feels that OnePlus kept releasing better and better flagships over the years, but that part of the community wants a much more affordable device. On top of that, the global health crisis also played a part in the decision. People will be looking for more affordable phones these days.
He sees that as the company’s new beginning, which is why OnePlus is using the “New Beginnings” caption for the first part of the documentary… and this product launch, basically.
OnePlus usually takes 9 to 12 months on the development of one phone, while this launch took much less. The whole team had six months to do everything, which is why it was more stressful than usual.
Carl Pei also said that this phone will have its own visual identity. It will be targetted at a completely different consumer base, so that makes sense. It should differentiate from the company’s flagships.
The company’s advertising push thus far indicates that it is aiming at a younger audience with this phone. The device is rumored to cost around $299, though that estimate may be off. We’re guessing it will be between $299 and $349.
The device is rumored to arrive on July 10, but nothing has been confirmed thus far. If you’d like to know more about the phone itself, check out our preview.