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Whenever someone mentions OnePlus, there are usually a bunch of folks who pop their heads up to see what’s going on from the company that coined the “flagship killer” phrase. Since we’re into 2017, it only makes sense that we have been seeing an array of rumors, leaks, and confirmations regarding the company’s 2017 flagship, which is shaping up to be yet another impressive iteration.
Today, we’re going to take a look at everything that has been shared regarding the device, and where we think the OnePlus 5 will end up when everything’s all said and done. So without further adieu, let’s take a look at what’s we are expecting to see from the OnePlus 5.
Early Beginnings
With the OnePlus 3T launching in late 2016, we weren’t exactly sure what the plan was for OnePlus’ next smartphone, but the rumor mill began working its magic back in February. This first set of rumors was regarding what the spec sheet would look like, and suggested that we would see 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and a 23MP main camera.
This was also the first mention of OnePlus skipping the “OnePlus 4” and going straight to the OnePlus 5, but we’ll get to that momentarily. As you would expect from early rumors, these were just a bit outrageous, even with OnePlus’ track record of being the first company to do something in a smartphone (*cough* 6GB of RAM *cough*).
The next rumor came in the form of a ‘leaked” render, which showed the device featuring a color scheme similar to the Midnight Black OnePlus 3T which was released in a limited capacity earlier this year. This was also the first mention that we saw of OnePlus opting to join the dual-camera devices that we have seen from the likes of LG and others. However, not everything lined up with this render, and it was put on the back burner.
Finally, on May 1st, we saw what were supposedly camera samples from the OnePlus 5, which looked pretty good. But the problem here was the fact that there was no way to trace these images back to a OnePlus device, let alone the fabled OnePlus 5. So again, we were left scratching our heads wondering what was going on.
Let the hype train begin
The real fun began a couple of days later after OnePlus CEO Pete Lau shared an image teasing the OnePlus 5. The image was nothing more than a phone mockup with some cartoon characters working around the edges, along with some gears on the inside. Considering this image came from the OnePlus CEO himself, many folks began getting hyped up for the impending launch of the OnePlus 5.
A week after the image was shared, OnePlus decided to spark the flames a bit more after the company confirmed that the OnePlus 5 would be released sometime in the Summer. Additionally, the company confirmed that the device would actually be called the OnePlus 5 due to a Chinese tradition of the number four being considered unlucky. This is due to the number “four” sounding similar to “death” in the Chinese language. (This is also known as Tetraphobia.)
At the same time, another spec leak of the device showed the device to include 8GB of RAM, along with 128GB of storage.This was an odd leak as the icons in the status bar were covered, and it’s really not that difficult to change these kinds of screenshots to show what you want them to.
Is this the real deal?
Moving backward for a second, we previously mentioned that leaks suggested the OP5 would feature a dual camera setup on the rear. Well, it seems that feature was confirmed after Carl Pei seemingly leaked a device prototype on one of his Instagram Stories.
The unknown device was spotted in the background and showed off the dual camera setup which was placed horizontally on the device. This differed from the vertical placement that we had seen in previous renders and leaks.
The OnePlus team then took to Weibo to give everyone another teaser, with a new image. This image said nothing more than “Hello 5”, and again confirmed the naming for the upcoming device.
We’ll give OnePlus a pat on the back for knowing how to keep its fans interested and excited.
Here come the prototypes
Over the next few days we saw a couple of new spec leaks for the OnePlus 5, but the two listings varied just a bit. The first listing, from Geekbuying, suggested that we could see 8GB of RAM, the Snapdragon 835 SoC, and a HUGE 4,000mAh battery. But these were only to be squashed by AnTuTu benchmark results which appeared.
Yet again we saw a 5.5-inch FHD display, while the OP5 was being powered by the Snapdragon 835 and 6GB of RAM. The results also showed that we would see a 16MP sensor used for both the main shooter and the selfie camera.
Regardless, there were bigger fish to fry as we got a new look at some prototypes of the device that OnePlus was working on. These showed a gunmetal finish to the device, while confirming that the company was at the very least, considering the implementation of dual rear-facing cameras.
The second leaked prototype showed another iteration of the dual-camera setup. Unlike the first one, which saw the flash placed between the camera module and OnePlus Logo. The second one saw the flash placed into the camera module itself, in between both sensors. This second set of prototype images also began sparking controversy regarding whether the device would still include a 3.5mm headphone jack, but more on that later.
If there are two things to take note of at this point in the game, it’s that there are way too many leaks that don’t really make sense or don’t follow what you would expect. But hey, OnePlus has a track record of doing the unexpected, so who knows.
DxO Labs and OnePlus
The HTC U11 was launched, and DxO Labs rated it as the best camera ever seen on a smartphone, passing the likes of the Pixel and Pixel XL. Why is this important? Because a few days later, DxO Labs and OnePlus announced a partnership for the two companies to work on the OnePlus 5’s camera.
We aren’t saying that the OnePlus cameras of the past were terrible, but there was definitely some room to grow, and it seems that OnePlus is dedicated to doing so with the OnePlus 5. This partnership definitely perked our ears up and left us again wondering what was in store for the upcoming device. Would it use a single camera sensor? Would OnePlus use two (or more) sensors? Is the sky still blue? (/s)
What about the headphone jack?
Then it seems that OnePlus decided to take all of the wind out of its sails after Carl Pei decided to tease the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack from the OP5. We’ve seen folks grab their pitchforks before over this, but if OnePlus were to do the same thing, there’s no telling what Reddit and the OnePlus Forums would look like. It would be like the “Red Wedding“ all over again.
This tease was only compounded after further investigation of the leaked OnePlus 5 prototypes. Although only the bottom was shown in the leaked images, some were beginning to fear that the 3.5mm headphone jack would actually be removed, despite it being found on the top of the OnePlus 3T.
OnePlus Confirmations
Over the last week or so, we have seen OnePlus confirm some information regarding the OnePlus 5, leaving only a little bit of imagination left for us to deal with. First, the OnePlus Twitter account decided to poll its followers with an image of 4 different color variants which could grace the OnePlus 5. However, of these 4 color options, we believe only 3 of them to be truly possible, with the 4th looking like the Starbucks pink and blue Unicorn Frappucino.
Then we got some solid information from OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau. After being asked on Weibo whether the OP5 would feature a fingerprint scanner, Lau confirmed that the front-facing scanner would make a return. But, my mind working the way that it does, I began wondering if we could viably see OnePlus introducing an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner while removing the home button. This likely won’t happen, but hey, it’s fun to dream.
The latest confirmation is the least surprising one. In a post on the OnePlus Forums, Lau confirmed that the OnePlus 5 would be powered by the Snapdragon 835. Considering the fact that this is the latest and greatest processor available, everyone already expected the SD835 to be powering the OP5. On the bright side, it’s just one less thing to worry about when the device is launched.
Our final thoughts
So there has been a lot of information shared and leaked regarding the OnePlus 5 over the last couple of months. This is likely due to the fact that we are nearing the launch of the device, which has only been compounded by the announcement that the company is experiencing some stocking shortages for the OnePlus 3T.
As for what I think the OnePlus 5 will have in tow? Here’s a quick rundown:
- 5.5-inch Full HD Display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
- 6GB OR 8GB of RAM
- 64GB/128GB Storage
- 16MP Front Facing Camera
- 23MP Rear Facing Camera
- 3,750mAh Battery
- Android 7.1.1 Nougat w/OxygenOS
- USB Type-C charging port with Dash Charge
Let us know what you think about what the OnePlus 5 will have in store for us, and whether your thoughts line up with mine.
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