After just five months of selling the OnePlus 3, the Chinese company has launched the OnePlus 3T – a phone that is expected to keep OnePlus fans busy until the release of OnePlus 4 in 2017.
Many people are not happy with the company’s move to introduce a new smartphone with the other model just five months old. In fact, some had just bought the flagship, only to realize that there is a new, improved OnePlus 3T to be released this November 22, 2016. Now, looking at the release date of OnePlus 3, it is possible that the OnePlus 4 will be here in another five months’ time.
With this in mind, the question that comes to play is should you buy the new OnePlus 3T or simply wait for the OnePlus 4 to be released in a few months’ time? Well, here is a look at what the current phone has in comparison to what the rumors have to say regarding its successor.
Design and display
OnePlus 3T is a twin brother to the OnePlus 3 – they look alike, have the same weight and measurements and are built from the same materials. The major changes took place inside the handset – which could be the opposite this coming year.
With almost every major smartphone OEM reportedly working on bezel-less designs for the screen, OnePlus 4 could also take this direction. Even though the same 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED screen should be used, the 2017 model may debut the first QHD resolution screen for the company, beating the 1080p resolution of the OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 3.
Hardware and software specs
OnePlus 3T carries the latest hardware specs on the market – a Snapdragon 821 SoC, 6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage. These are already high-end specs and they will still be come 2017, but with a new Snapdragon 835 already confirmed by Qualcomm and the fact that Samsung recently announced the first 8GB RAM modules for smartphones, don’t be surprised if OnePlus 4 came in with an 8GB RAM option. Alternatively, the same 6GB RAM can be retained and a high-end 256GB storage model introduced, which will still be acceptable.
Even though Android 7.0 Nougat is already here, OnePlus 3T comes preinstalled with Android Marshmallow. However, the company has promised to update it to the latest version before the year ends. As for the OnePlus 4, this same Android Nougat should come preinstalled out of the box alongside a newer version of the OxygenOS software.
Camera and battery capacity
OnePlus 3T stepped up the camera specs, especially for the selfie camera. There is a 16MP snapper on both sides of the phone, something that sets the bar high for the OnePlus 4. Expect nothing less than a dual-lens camera on the 2017 flagship, probably something similar to Apple iPhone 7 Plus, LG V20, Huawei Mate 9 and so on. As for the selfies, expect the same 16MP snapper to be used on the OnePlus 4, or we may even see a dual-lens setup similar to the LG V10.
As far as the battery capacity is concerned, OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T have shown slight differences that are expected to go on with the release of OnePlus 4. There is a 3000mAh unit on the original OnePlus 3 while the 3T bumps this capacity up to 3400mAh. Both support fast charging and are not removable. Well, don’t expect the non-removable and fast charging parts to change, but the size of the battery is likely to change, probably close to 4000mAh so as to match what many local players offer in China.
Keep in mind that this is just a wish list that is based on rumors since OnePlus 4 is still months away. As a result, anything can happen between now and May/June 2017. But as for the OnePlus 3T, be ready to buy it as from next week, be it in the U.S. or UK.
So, will you buy the latest OnePlus 3T or will you wait for the release of OnePlus 4 in 2017?