The OnePlus 6T is going to be one of the biggest jumps between handsets that the Shenzhen-based company has attempted in recent years. Lying behind the confirmed changes you can see three key decisions by the management team. If correct, the 6T will be one of the key Android handsets of the year. If wrong, it could drive OnePlus away from its vocal fan base.
OnePlus 6 Launch (Ewan Spence)EWAN SPENCE
Pushing The In-Display Fingerprint Reader
OnePlus is working hard to associate the OnePlus 6T with the in-display biometric sensor. While it’s not the first handset to do so, it should be the first handset available in Western markets. That will continue the association of the OnePlus brand with cutting-edge smartphone technology, and provide it with a key comparison against the likes of Samsung and Apple.
It’s not alone in this – Huawei is expected to announce the Mate 20 Pro on October 16th (see this week’s Android Circuit) and that handset is rumored to come with the in-display technology. It’s also going to be revealed one day before the expected launch of the OnePlus 6T. Is it any wonder that OnePlus is feathering the nest now by not only confirming the feature but also promoting it directly?
The Removal Of The Headphone Jack
CEO Pete Lau has tied the decision to go with the in-display technology into the removal of the physical headphone jack. While options for BlueTooth connectivity or USB-C adaptors will be available (not least from OnePlus itself with its Bullets Wireless headphones), this is a big risk.
OnePlus has leaned heavily on its refusal to remove the headphone jack during the launches of the OnePlus 5T and the OnePlus 6, noting that users prefer the audio quality and convenience of the jack. What’s changed is the volume of wireless headphones on the market that allows OnePlus to use the line ‘more people have bluetooth headsets so this is not a difficult change to make’.
Popularity of course is no indication of quality.
Also, this feels like a bit of a sleight of hand to suggest that OnePlus users will be happy to lose the headphone jack. Tying it into the need for more internal space for the fingerprint reader (and suggesting that users will be happier because easier fingering is better than audio gratification) is a gamble. Will the existing fanatical user-base follow with this new approach, or will it prefer the approach taken in previous years.
And if the latter is the case, will the new consumers coming to the OnePlus 6T outweigh the existing fans who will take umbrage at the decision?
Ratcheting Up The Price
When OnePlus launched its first handset, the goal was to provide the specifications of a flagship handset at a much lower price. While the prices of the Galaxy S10 Plus’es and iPhone XS Max’es of the world are reaching $1500, the mid-range price point where OnePlus fights is incredibly price sensitive. The OnePlus 6T will be a more expensive price than the OnePlus 6, and there’s been a clear decision to allow for some price inflation as opposed to implementing cost cutting in other areas. Can OnePlus continue to increase sales while driving up the price?
Olixar’s OnePlus 6T cases from Mobilefun (Mobilefun.co.uk)MOBILEFUN.CO.UK
Unlike other manufacturers, OnePlus runs a six-month cycle on its handsets, with launches during Q2 and Q4 each year. Normally the step from the ‘vanilla’ handsets to the ’T’ handsets are quite small, but that’s not the case from the OnePlus 6 to the OnePlus 6T. The Shenzhen-based company has made some big calls for the October release – chasing the cutting edge, removing beloved features, and increasing the price. That’s a combination that could see the company continue to gain market share, or it could damage the delicate mix that has brought success.
The OnePlus 6T is expected to be launched later this month, and go on sale shortly afterwards.
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