OnePlus is returning to its roots of undercutting Apple and Samsung prices with a cheap new Android phone that has 6 cameras and 5G
- OnePlus has announced the OnePlus Nord: an aggressively-priced smartphone that starts at 399 euros and comes with six cameras and 5G support.
- The phone will launch in Europe and India on August 4 and the company is also releasing a limited beta program in North America.
- The launch suggests OnePlus is returning to its roots of launching cheap smartphones with premium features that undercut prices from Samsung and Apple.
- At the same time, many of OnePlus competitors have begun releasing more affordable devices after years of rising prices and falling smartphone sales.
OnePlus has launched a new aggressively priced phone called the Nord that starts at 399 euros and boasts 5G support and six cameras. It's a move that suggests the company is once again hoping to undercut devices made by tech giants Apple and Samsung after it recently began launching more expensive devices.
The phone will be launching on August 4 in India and Europe, and the company is launching a beta program that will allow 50 people in North America to try the device.
The OnePlus Nord features a quadruple camera setup on the back that includes the same 48-megapixel main sensor as the OnePlus 8, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a macro camera, and a depth sensor. The Nord will also have two front cameras: a 32-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with a 105-degree field of view.
Many smartphones come with multiple cameras, but it's been rare in the past to see devices as cheap as the OnePlus Nord come with so many cameras. Smartphone makers have also increasingly looked to the camera as a main selling point and a way to differentiate their devices from those of rivals in recent years. Apple, Samsung, and Google have all touted the cameras of their respective iPhone 11 Pro, Galaxy S20 Ultra, and Pixel 4 during their 2019 product launches.
Otherwise, the Nord features a 6.44-inch AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and the company's fast charging tech, which it claims can power the phone up to 70% in a half hour. It'll run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G processor.
OnePlus' decision to price the Nord at 399 euros — or roughly $457 — is a sign that the company is returning to the approach that's been responsible for much of its success: pricing premium products at significantly lower prices than Apple and Samsung.
Although OnePlus' phones are still generally cheaper than the latest iPhone or Galaxy phone, the gap in price has shrunk with the company's more recent launches. Its OnePlus 8, for example, starts at $700, the same price as Apple's iPhone 11, while the $900 OnePlus 8 Pro is only $100 cheaper than the iPhone 11 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S20.
OnePlus is also facing increased competition as smartphone makers large and small are beginning to launch more affordable devices after years of rising smartphone prices. Apple launched the $400 iPhone SE in April, for example, and rumors suggest that its first 5G iPhone could start at below $1,000. Samsung also brought 5G to its more affordable Galaxy A smartphone lineup through the Galaxy A51 5G and A71 5G. TCL's 10 5G, which is also priced at 399 euros like the Nord, also comes with premium features like 5G support and a quadruple camera.
Although OnePlus revealed full details about the Nord on Tuesday, many of the core details about the device likely haven't come as much of a surprise to OnePlus devotees. The company previously confirmed details like the phone's price, its 5G support, and even its camera ahead of Tuesday's launch.