Earlier this month OnePlus pulled the wraps from the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. According to rumor mills the company was expected to launch a mid-range device, however, that didn’t happen. Fresh rounds of rumor say that the OnePlus Z will be released in summer this year.
OnePlus X was the first mid-range device from the OnePlus stable. However, it never received an iterative upgrade, and OnePlus restricted themselves with flagship devices. As far as the naming is concerned, the mid-range OnePlus was earlier called OnePlus 8 Lite, however, the teaser by Max J on Twitter referred to the new device as OnePlus Z. He also speculated that OnePlus Z will be released in July 2020.
— Max Jambor (@MaxJmb) April 28, 2020
Previous rumors have hinted at a Snapdragon processor for the OnePlus Z. However, it is quite likely that the company might choose MediaTek instead. Needless to say, the OnePlus 7 will offer smaller RAM capacity and is expected to come equipped with a 6.5-inch display with a punch-hole selfie camera. On the design front, the OnePlus Z is expected to feature boxier edges as opposed to the curves on the OnePlus 8 series.
Our Take
OnePlus started its journey with OnePlus One, an affordable flagship device. Over the years, the price of OnePlus has increased. For instance, the OnePlus 8 Pro goes all the way up to $900. The OnePlus Z will have a lot of takers if it is priced below $400. Apple is employing a similar strategy with a $399 iPhone SE.