OnePlus rolls out several flagships every year, but a mid-range smartphone could join its lineup soon and serve as a spiritual successor to the OnePlus X from 2015.
In a leak published by 91Mobiles, mobile industry insider Steve Hemmerstoffer reveals the OnePlus 8 Lite. The renders assembled by both parties offer an early look at what OnePlus might be planning to do with its return to the mid-range segment of the market. Expect a flagship-inspired design with above-average specifications.
Up front, the OnePlus 8 Lite in these renders features an edge-to-edge screen. It should be an AMOLED display measuring 6.5 inches, and a hole-punch has been centered at the top. The entire front panel is flat.
A dual-camera setup appears on the backside. It’s paired with LED flash and an unidentified sensor. The latter could be a time-of-flight sensor for analyzing depth in portrait mode, but that’s merely speculation at this point.
It’s important to note OnePlus could tweak the design a bit more. None of this has been finalized, and Hemmerstoffer and 91Mobiles created these renders based on information from factories allegedly manufacturing the OnePlus 8 Lite. Take these renders with a grain of salt, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the final product looks nearly identical to what’s shown here.
The leak doesn’t offer much in terms of specifications, though. It only indicates what the design could be. As the calendar turns to 2020, more leaks should surface online and expose some details on internal components.
We don’t know when the OnePlus 8 Lite will arrive if at all. Hemmerstoffer and 91Mobiles hold proven track records, but OnePlus hasn’t talked about a return to the mid-range segment in quite some time. Additionally, OnePlus could drop its plans to release this smartphone and continue focusing on flagships. So while it does seem likely to be launched next year, don’t go all-in on the OnePlus 8 Lite just yet.