The OnePlus 8 Lite may actually be called the OnePlus Z
OnePlus is best known for its competitively priced flagships, but back in 2015 the company tried to crack the lucrative mid-range segment with the short-lived OnePlus X. Now, five years on from the failed attempt, it seems OnePlus is finally ready to have another go.
OnePlus is revamping the OnePlus X under a new name
Tipster Max Weinbach believes OnePlus is preparing to “revamp the OnePlus X” under an entirely new smartphone series. The hardware reportedly coincides with that of the leaked OnePlus 8 Lite and the final product could end up being marketed as the OnePlus Z.Ishan Agarwal, who has an impressive track record and most recently leaked the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro specifications, corroborated these claims.
Rumor has it the smartphone will be priced at £400 across the UK when it hits shelves later this year. That means it could be priced around $450 in the United States and would instantly make it a competitor to the upcoming Google Pixel 4a XL and iPhone 9, which should be priced similarly.
There’s no word on when the smartphone is going to be officially announced just yet, but an unveiling in early July does seem extremely likely. That’s because the OnePlus Z is expected to be available to purchase in India and global markets by the end of the month.
It could offer a 90Hz display and a triple-camera system
In regards to what the OnePlus Z (OnePlus 8 Lite) will have to offer, leaked CAD-based renders revealed the presence of a 6.4-inch AMOLED display way back in December. The panel will feature a centered punch-hole much like the Galaxy S20 series.
Unlike the OnePlus 8 Pro, there are no curved edges this time around and the bezels are slightly thicker. Despite the lower price tag, though, OnePlus has apparently retained the smooth 90Hz refresh rate.
Turning the smartphone over reveals a pretty big camera module that sits in the top-left corner of the panel. It’s home to a 48-megapixel primary shooter coupled with unspecified 16-megapixel and 12-megapixel sensors. An LED flash and what is likely a laser autofocus system complete the package.
Other external features include a USB-C port and speaker on the bottom of the smartphone, a volume rocker on the left, and a power button paired with an Alert Slider on the right.
Lots of storage and 5G support could also be on offer
As for the inside of the smartphone, it was reported earlier this month that OnePlus would be ditching Qualcomm for MediaTek. The exact chipset wasn’t revealed, but rumors point towards the speedy Dimensity 1000.
Coupled with the chipset should be 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage as standard. If that isn’t enough, a 256GB variant is also expected.
Last on the list is Android 10 and OxygenOS 10 straight out of the box alongside a 4,000mAh battery that offers support for OnePlus’ Warp Charge 30T 30W fast charging technology.