When the OnePlus 3 launched earlier this year, it was one of the very fastest phones on the market. But since launch, new processors have come out and a new iPhone has launched, leaving OnePlus struggling to keep its crown as the fastest handset in town. That could all be about to change.
We’ve already heard rumors that OnePlus is going to launch a spec-bumped version, the OnePlus 3T, with a faster processor. Qualcomm seems to have just confirmed that, tweeting that “something new” is on the way from OnePlus, and it will have Qualcomm’s best Snapdragon 821 processor inside.
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Something new from @OnePlus is on the way…and it’s powered by our #Snapdragon 821 processor. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/3jOyZFRQ5t
— Qualcomm (@Qualcomm) November 7, 2016
Rumors suggest that the OnePlus 3T will have the same aluminum body and OLED screen as the OnePlus 3, but with slightly more powerful internals. The current OnePlus 3 has a Snapdragon 820 processor and up to 6GB of RAM on certain versions. The 3T will presumably have Qualcomm’s new (and more powerful) Snapdragon 821 processor, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find 6GB of RAM as standard.
OnePlus has always prided itself on making the fastest phones around, so a spec-bumped version to be launched before the holidays would make all kinds of sense, especially if OnePlus is working on something bigger for the OnePlus 4. Given the relatively large size of the OnePlus 3, it would also make sense to launch a more premium, powerful version of the OnePlus 3 to appeal to Galaxy Note 7 customers who want a less explosive smartphone.
Prior to today, we’ve seen a device with a mystery model number sneak through the China Compulsory Certification, and a OnePlus designer also posted to his Weibo account from a device identified as the OnePlus 3T. Add those facts to Qualcomm’s not-very-subtle tweet, and it certainly looks like the OnePlus 3T is about to become reality. If you’re a fan of relatively cheap smartphones with crazy-fast guts, this could be a good week.
