OnePlus will release 5G smartphone ‘worldwide’ before the end of the year

Smartphone maker OnePlus is going to release a 5g smartphone ‘worldwide’ before the end of the year. That says CEO Pete Lau in an interview. The 5g version of the OnePlus 7 Pro was released in only a few countries.

The phone will be released in the fourth quarter, Lau said in an interview with the Financial Times. That matches the timing at which the OnePlus 6T, 5T and 3T have been released in recent years. They always came on the market at the end of October.

Lau’s wording suggests that the 5g version will be standard with the upcoming smartphone. Now the 7 Pro appeared as standard in the 4g version, while the 5g variant is only available through providers. It is unknown whether OnePlus will ask a higher price for its smartphone in that case. At the Finnish provider Elisa, the 5g version of the 7 Pro costs 899 euros, while the same variant without 5g costs 759 euros at OnePlus.

The integration of 5g is necessary for the future, says Lau. “If you want to be a premium smartphone in 2020, you have to have 5g on board.” The OnePlus TV that will go on sale this year could also support 5G in the future. “As 5g technology becomes more advanced and developed, the smart screen market will undergo many changes.”

OnePlus 7 Pro