The OnePlus 6 has been launched and the first impression is very solid
OnePlus launched their new flagship in London yesterday and the OnePlus 6 is now available from the rumor circuit and from next week. The 6 feels in a first acquaintance as many other phones from many other manufacturers, but as always, OnePlus has a secret weapon: the very low price compared to the same performing competition. When CEO Carl Pei announced the prizes at the event, the applause on the ground was the loudest of the whole evening: what you get for 520 euros is pretty unprecedented. That is not a real budget price, I know, but with the 6 you seem to be able to advance a whole number of years.
That lightning fast response was already found in the earlier models of OnePlus, but the search for a never slower phone continues for the company. In their own words they are still very active to make the Android experience of users as smooth as possible and to make sure that a OnePlus also has the same performance and battery in three years’ time that the device has the box comes. OnePlus exists in the spirit of doing what the users want and that was one of the most common complaints. Apparently there was no complaining about wireless charging, because that is one of the few functions that the device does not have that is becoming the norm. On the other hand, it still has the USB-C fast charging cable that gives you enough power in half an hour to be able to continue for about five hours.
Screen and design
The design of the device is what you expect from an Android phone in 2018: almost no borders, a ‘notch’ at the top for the camera and other things that can not be removed and a very bright and large screen. To generate extra space you can make the typical Android software keys disappear and you can also use the device to move back and forth. Think of how the iPhone X does that and then you’re in the direction. Furthermore, the system is not very adapted and at first glance it still looks like standard Android, but faster and without extra programs that you do not do anything with.
The design is beautiful for what it is: if you are afraid of fingerprints I would not recommend the Mirror Black, but the Midnight Black version is beautiful, feels nice in the hand (the back is made of glass that has been processed so it does not look like that, but feels good) and is not unimportant nice light: the device is significantly less heavy than an iPhone X for example. The white (limited edition) is my favorite, with a subtle pearl effect and silver / gold / pink edges, depending on how the light falls on it. Very chic!
Bullets Wireless
In addition, OnePlus also presented the Bullets Wireless headphones. These are in-ear plugs that are connected to each other with a cable but also function wirelessly. The unique feature is that the aluminum caps have a magnetic closure. By clicking them together, your music automatically pause, by picking them up you can take a phone call (after a software update) and if you leave them together long enough they turn themselves off. Handy.
However, it remains in-ear plugs and although the sound of the Bullets is really good, especially for the price of 80 euros, it remain caps that you have to press in your ear and that is not everyone (me in any case not so). If you do not have problems with them, they are fine, because they also have the same fast charge connection and so you can recharge with five minutes on the USB-C cable. With a fully charged battery you can continue for eight hours. The caps use Qualcomm’s aptX protocol, which makes pairing and sound quality comparable to what Apple does with their headsets. The headset can be ordered from June, just like the white OnePlus 6 by the way.
All in all it was a good presentation for OnePlus. The new device does little that other devices do not do, but with such a relatively spectacular price it becomes difficult to recommend another brand. With the immediate introduction of Android P on the new device, OnePlus is ready to take a lot more market from the competitors, but how it really is we can say next week, if we can try the device for a long time.