We're about to find out how OnePlus follows up on the OnePlus 3T. On June 20, OnePlus is slated to take the wraps off its new phone, giving us a chance to see how you improve upon a device that was already the best unlocked phone available for less than $500.
But we don't have to wait until noon ET on June 20 when the online unveiling of the OnePlus 5 is scheduled to take place. Here's everything we've heard about the next phone from OnePlus in advance of the big reveal.
MORE: Here's How the OnePlus 5 Can Beat Its Android Rivals
Latest News & Rumors (Updated June 19)
• The Verge has a profile of the OnePlus 5, and while it doesn't disclose the exact price tags or specs, we do learn a little bit more about the dual-lens camera that will feature on the back of the new phone.
Why Is the Phone Called the OnePlus 5?
No, you didn't blink and miss the OnePlus 4. OnePlus will reportedly jump ahead to the 5, as the number 4's considered bad luck in a large part of eastern Asia. And if you count both the OnePlus 3 and 3T models that came out last year, the next phone from OnePlus will be its fifth model anyhow.
When Can I Get the OnePlus 5?
There's no official launch date as of yet, but we know when we'll get our first official look at the OnePlus 5. OnePlus is hosting an online reveal on June 20 at noon ET.
What Are the Key Specs with the OnePlus 5?
We now know at least one of the features that's been rumored for the OnePlus 5 will be a reality. Qualcomm confirmed that the phone will feature a Snapdragon 835 processor, keeping with OnePlus's preference of using the latest mobile processing platform. That confirms at least one of the leaked specs from a Chinese reseller named Geekbuying that Android Headlines posted.
That same report suggested the OnePlus 5 might have 8GB of RAM, though subsequent leaks from AnTuTu suggest that the phone will only have 6GB. That’s still more than the 4GB of RAM that ships with the Galaxy S8.
That extra RAM could mean a big boost in performance. According to a leaked benchmark posted at GSMArena, the OnePlus 5 outpaces the Galaxy S8 in the Geekbench 4 measure of overall performance, even though they’re both running the same processor.
According to Android Headlines, OnePlus co-founder and CEO Pete Lau is promising that the OnePlus 5 will be "the thinnest flagship phone." At the same time, Lau says that OnePlus is keeping the design thin without sacrificing battery life.
The device is also likely to include a headphone jack, though it may be on the top of the device now. That's based on a cryptic tweet from OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei.
What About the Camera?
We now know the OnePlus 5 will have two cameras on its backside. OnePlus said as much when it tweeted out the time and date of its OnePlus 5 launch event, including a picture of the back of the phone that shows off two cameras.
What will you be able to do with those twin lenses? True-Tech has posted what appears to be an image that shows what the dual rears cameras can do; in this case you can see that the front part of the image is blurred and the back of the subject is in focus, which means you'll probably be able to play with the depth of field on the OnePlus 5.
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A subsequent report from True-Tech claims that one of the lenses on the back of the OnePlus 5 will feature a monochrome sensor, which could allow you to take some pretty striking images with the phone's camera. Indeed, The Verge report on the OnePlus 5's camera confirms that there will be two lenses — a 16-megapixel main camera with an f/1.7 aperture lens and a 20-MP sensor with an f/2.6 aperture telephoto lens.
One other thing we do know for certain about the camera: OnePlus says it will work with image-processing specialists DxO to improve the camera experience on the OnePlus 5, though the company hasn’t revealed any other specific features.
What Kind of Display Will the OnePlus 5 Offer?
The earliest leaks about the OnePlus 5 suggested the phone might follow the path of the LG G6 and Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8+ by opting for an extended display. According to BGR, a Chinese site called PCPop reported that OnePlus would take that route, with a 5.5-inch screen.
The display may be 5.5 inches, but you'll still see some bezels on the OnePlus 5 if a more recently leaked photo published at Case Fanatic is the genuine article. That photo, a promotion for a case, shows the OnePlus 5 with bezels on top of and below the screen, along with a physical home button. A leaker on a Weibo account called Kumamoto Technology also released some specs that suggest the fingerprint sensor will be on the front of the device rather than the back.
In The Verge's report on the OnePlus 5, OnePlus's Lau explained that the company didn't have the resources or access to edge-to-edge screens to incorporate them into the OnePlus 5.
While PCPop's original report claimed the new phone might offer 2K resolution versus the full HD resolution of the 3T, subsequent leaks, like these AnTuTu benchmarks published by Android Headlines suggest that OnePlus is sticking with full HD on its next phone.
What Will the OnePlus 5 Look Like?
Apart from OnePlus's tweet showing the back of its new phone, our best look at the OnePlus 5 comes from an Android Police post that seems to be a press image of the new phone. And the website says it's pretty confident that this is what the phone will look like. If that's the case, the image would confirm the dual rear camera rumor.
The folks over at TechDroider published a rendering of what the OnePlus 5 might look like, and it's a beauty. The rendering envisions a glass and metal design, as well as a physical fingerprint reader on the front.
On the back, the rendering depicts horizontally aligned rear cameras, which OnePlus more or less confirmed with its tweeted image of the OnePlus 5's backside.
Leaked images posted on Weibo that are supposed to be press shots show the front and back of the phone, and conform to many of the rumors we’ve heard so far about OnePlus’s next phone.
How Much Will the OnePlus 5 Cost?
That’s the big question for a phone maker that prides itself on disrupting the smartphone market by putting out lower-priced phones that still boast premier features. It’s widely thought that will continue with the OnePlus 5, with a spec sheet on SlashLeaks claiming the new phone would start at $450. That’s a slight increase from the $439 that a OnePlus 3T will cost you.
But an Android Authority report quotes a source claiming the price on the OnePlus 5 could be as high as $650. The reason? OnePlus is reportedly using costlier components and wants to signal its phones measure up to the likes of the iPhone and Galaxy S lineup. That’s one rumor we’re hoping doesn’t pan out.
For what it's worth, The Verge reports that OnePlus 5 will be the most expensive phone OnePlus has ever sold, but it sounds like the device won't be approaching the Galaxy S8's price tag. "It costs closer to $500," Dan Seifert writes in his report on the phone.
Outlook
Apart from the dual rear cameras and Snapdragon 835 processor, we're still largely dealing with rumors about the OnePlus 5's features. Still, given OnePlus's traditional focus on producing lower-priced phones that sport high-end specs, we're expecting a phone that can more than hold its own with the leading Android flagships when the OnePlus 5 debuts this coming week.
