After all the rumors, leaks, and rampant speculation, we finally have a launch date for the OnePlus 5. The company has confirmed it’s coming on June 20th at 12:00PM EDT, or exactly two weeks from today.
We’d like to say that this is a surprise, but OnePlus has been incessantly teasing the new phone on social media for the last month. From the rumors, we’re expecting it to follow the tried and tested OnePlus formula: flagship phone features and guts, at a slightly lower price point than the Galaxy S8 or iPhone 7.
What does that mean in reality? Well, we’re pretty sure the OnePlus 5 is going to have a Snapdragon 835, just like the one in the Galaxy S8. We’re probably also going to see between 4GB and 6GB of RAM, given OnePlus’s penchant for overkill.
Another near-certain lock is a dual-camera setup on the back. Dual cameras are necessary for the kind of DSLR-lite photos that are in vogue right now, and they also allow for VR and AR experiences. OnePlus is a big fan of virtual reality (it launched its last phone in VR), so it would be a surprise if the OnePlus 5 didn’t come fully equipped for escaping this reality.
The biggest question mark is over the screen. The big trend for flagship phones this year has been edge-to-edge displays with minimal bezel and no physical buttons on the front. Securing those displays is difficult for a smaller manufacturer like OnePlus, but there’s a good chance that the company’s going to pull it out of the bag.
In any case, we’ve only got a fortnight left to wait. If history is any guide, pre-orders will open right around the time of launch, with the phone getting into people’s hands within a few weeks. OnePlus has already made public a new referral system, so make sure you use a code to get free accessories if you’re going to pull the trigger.
