OnePlus Nord 2: The Next Chapter of The Brand’s Mid-Range Journey

Following the company’s announcement earlier this month, OnePlus has officially unveiled its new mid-range offering, the OnePlus Nord 2. At a glance, the new model does not look so different from its predecessor but once you go through at least its specs sheet, there are plenty of things that set them apart.

For starters, OnePlus has ditched Qualcomm Snapdragon for the new model which is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1200-AI processor. OnePlus and MediaTek apparently have worked together to boost the AI capability of this chip while it also offers 65% faster CPU performance and 125% better GPU performance.

OnePlus has also decided to use the faster UFS3.1-based storage for 5G-capable Nord 2 although the phone still comes with LPDDR4X memory. We doubt that it is noticeable to most people but the dimension of the Nord 2’s display is slightly different at 6.43-inch as compared to the 6.44-inch display on the original Nord but it still features a Full HD+ 90Hz Fluid AMOLED panel just like its predecessor.

When it comes to photography, OnePlus has once again roped in Sony’s hardware into the picture as the main camera inside Nord 2 which has been equipped with a 50MP IMX766 sensor that is also being accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide camera and 2MP mono lens. There is also another Sony sensor on the phone’s selfie camera in the form of the 32MP IMX615.

Completing the general specifications of the Nord 2 is a 4500mAh dual-cell battery that supports the company’s proprietary 65W Warp Charge technology. Through the tech, OnePlus claimed that the phone can be fully charged in just 30 minutes.

Pricewise, the OnePlus Nord 2 with 8GB/128GB setup goes for EUR399 (~RM1,988) in Europe while 12GB/256GB option costs EUR499 (~RM2,485). The price tag seemed rather hefty but we do expect the phone to be priced much lower in Malaysia although it is not yet known if OnePlus would bring it to our market anytime soon.

Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition OnePlus Watch Launching In China

Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that was unexpectedly met with infamy from both gamers and critics due to its constant delays, troubled launch, and disappointingly unpolished release. Despite its mixed reception, it appears that certain brands are still banking on the CD Projekt Red-developed game to market limited edition products to consumers. One such brand is none other than Chinese tech company OnePlus.

After launching a special edition of the OnePlus 8T last year, the company has announced that it will be releasing another Cyberpunk 2077-themed product in China next week. This time around, the device in question is confirmed to be a limited edition of its first ever smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch.

Much like the smartphone, this version of the wearable also comes with similar design elements such as the neon yellow stripes, black on black lines, and the game’s branding. However, these are only limited to the straps. Its main body, on the other hand, is presented in the same gun metal black as the regular version of the smartwatch, which is somewhat disappointing.

OnePlus did not provide any details regarding the limited edition’s hardware, but it is believed that the specifications will be no different from the original. As a quick refresher, the OnePlus Watch features a 1.39-inch OLED display, 1GB RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and a battery that is capable of lasting up to two weeks. It comes with a rating of IP68 in terms of dust and water resistance. Unique to the limited edition is the onboard Cyberpunk 2077-themed watch face and user interface.

Last but not least, the Cyberpunk 2077 limited edition OnePlus Watch also comes with a display stand that is modeled after Johnny Silverhand’s, well, hand. It wasn’t revealed if the accessory would feature some form of charging capability, or is merely just for decoration.

Pricing for the smartwatch will only be confirmed by the brand when it launches in China next week on 24 May 2021. Whether OnePlus is planning to have the device see an international release after this is not known at this time. But seeing that the OnePlus 8T Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition did eventually make its way to Malaysia in December of last year, there’s a chance that we might see this version of the wearable released locally as well.

OnePlus Watch Now Official; Features Two Week Battery Life And IP68 Rating

OnePlus has officially unveiled its first ever smartwatch which debuted alongside the brand’s latest flagship smartphones, the OnePlus 9 series. Aptly named as the OnePlus Watch, the new wearable is offered with a circular face design, fitness and health tracking features and long lasting battery life, among other things. 

It comes in a stainless steel 46mm body, along with a circular 1.39-inch 326ppi OLED display and sapphire glass protection. Located on the right side are two physical buttons for user interaction. Under the hood, the new smartwatch is equipped with 1GB RAM, 4GB storage, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and GPS support. As previously reported, it also comes with the brand’s proprietary Watch OS to manage its system.

The OnePlus Watch is designed with sports in mind, so water and dust resistance are included especially for activities such as swimming. Specifically, the wearable comes with an IP68 rating and is able to withstand depths of up to 5ATM.

Feature-wise, you can expect typical fitness and health tracking functions such as heart rate and blood oxygen saturation tracking, sleep and stress monitoring, as well as over 110 workout modes. Of course, there’s also the obligatory smartwatch functions including notifications, music playback control and so on.

In terms of battery life, the OnePlus Watch is claimed to be able to last up to two weeks with normal use. Charging is done through a proprietary 2 Pogo pin charger, and topping up to 100% charge is said to take only 20 minutes via onboard fast charging support (aka Warp Charge).

The new OnePlus Watch is available in silver and black colour options, and will retail at an attractive price of US$159 (~RM656). There’s also a Cobalt Limited Edition of the wearable, which is slated to arrive sometime later this year. Sales will begin on 14 April for certain regions, but its availability in Malaysia has not been confirmed at this time.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G Finally Coming To Malaysia; Available For As Low As RM 999

The majority of OnePlus phones are equipped with flagship-level Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Series chips but towards the second half of last year, the company have released several mid-range phones under the Nord Series. One of them comes in the form of Nord N10 5G and it is finally going to be released in Malaysia.

First unveiled to the world last October, the Nord N10 5G is powered by Snapdragon 690 and also features a 6.49-inch Full HD+ display with a refresh rate of 90Hz. When it comes to memory and storage specs, the Malaysian variant is similar to the one in the United States which consisted of 6GB and 128GB, respectively.

On its back, the phone feature a 64MP f/1.79 main camera alongside 8MP f/2.25 ultra-wide camera as well a pair of 2MP f/2.4 cameras that act as macro and monochrome cameras each. For selfies, the Nord N10 5G relies on the 16MP punch hole camera that is located on the top left part of its screen.

In addition to having dual stereo speakers, the phone’s general specification also includes a 4300mAh battery that supports the company’s proprietary Warp Charge 30T fast charger. The Nord N10 5G will be made available in Malaysia on 27 March through OnePlus Malaysia’s Lazada store and as part of its launch, the company will be offering the phone at RM 999 instead of its usual RM 1,199 price tag.

OnePlus Watch’s Design Officially Confirmed

OnePlus has confirmed the design of its first ever smartwatch that is scheduled to launch alongside its flagship smartphones, the OnePlus 9 series, on 23 March. Interestingly enough, rather than providing an official image of the device, the company instead retweeted a post by Unbox Therapy that claims to have an exclusive look at the upcoming smartwatch.

From the OnePlus-endorsed “leak”, the device is shown to sport a circular watch face that is reminiscent of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active series, and features two buttons on its right side. Also implied in the image is an Always-On function, which enables the OnePlus Watch to continuously display certain features while using less energy.

As usual from teasers such as these, the brand did not provide any further information regarding the smartwatch’s specifications. However, a recent tweet by OnePlus CEO Pete Lau suggests that the device will come with some form of water resistance. He also shared other significant details regarding the watch on the brand’s official forum, revealing that it will operate on a proprietary software platform and would also feature smart controls that will seamlessly connect with other devices under OnePlus’ ecosystem.

Lastly, Lau noted that the OnePlus Watch will offer consumers a “best-in-class experience at an affordable price point”. We’ll see if the brand’s first ever smartwatch will live up to the claim once more information regarding its specifications and pricing is officially provided during the upcoming launch.

OnePlus Releases More Images Of OnePlus 9 Pro; Standard Variant Officially Revealed

OnePlus has recently shared new images showcasing its upcoming OnePlus 9 Pro smartphone that is slated to debut globally next week. Along with the set of photos is a new launch teaser, which also officially revealed the flagship’s standard model for the first time.

As seen from the latest images provided by the company, the actual design of the OnePlus 9 Pro is exactly how it was depicted in the earlier leaks. In front of the device is a curved screen with an in-display camera located on its upper left corner, while on its back is a quad camera setup housed in a vertical bump, which also features Hasselblad’s branding. The volume rocker is visible on the left side of the phone, and on the right is where the state slider and lock button are located. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau notes that the silver colour option showcased in the images is referred to as “Morning Mist”.

Unfortunately, the only glimpse of the standard variant reveals its rear camera bump, which almost looks identical to the Pro version, but with two noticeable differences. The first being the lack of a fourth camera sensor, and the second is the Hasselblad branding which is orientated vertically. The violet colour option shown on this model is referred to as “Winter Mist”.

In terms of specifications, Lau has confirmed that the Pro variant will sport a Sony IMX789 and a IMX766 for its main and ultra-wide sensors, respectively. It is not revealed if the standard model of the OnePlus 9 will also feature the same sensors as part of its camera setup. And as implied by the branding, the imaging system on both models of the upcoming flagship series will feature enhancements by renown Swedish camera brand Hasselblad. As revealed by the company last year, the OnePlus 9 series will be powered by Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line Snapdragon 888 chipset.

OnePlus will launch the new flagship smartphone series via a virtual launch on 23 March at 10pm local time, which will be streamed live through its official website and social media channels. As previously reported, there is a possibility that the company may launch its first ever smartwatch during the event as well.

OnePlus Watch Teaser Hints Launch Date; May Debut Alongside OnePlus 9 Series

As promised by CEO Pete Lau back in December, OnePlus has confirmed that it will launch its first ever smartwatch very soon. As teased via the brand’s official Twitter account, the wearable is hinted to debut alongside its latest flagship smartphones, the OnePlus 9 series, later this month.

The tweet also provided brief glimpses of the upcoming watch – revealing what appears to be a circular watch face, among other things. Its specifications are not known at this time, but OnePlus hinted via its official forums that the wearable will come with the typical health, fitness and sleep tracking capabilities. Should the OnePlus Watch come with features unique to its own, we can safely expect the brand to only reveal them during the launch.

On a related note, there’s also a possibility that the upcoming device will launch in Malaysia around the same time as its global debut. According to PriceBaba, a listing of the OnePlus Watch (under its model name W310GB) has been spotted on the SIRIM eComM database and was recently approved by the organisation on 8 March 2021. However, after searching through the database ourselves in order to confirm this, it appears that the listing is nonexistent. That, or it may have been removed entirely.

OnePlus may debut its first ever smartwatch together with its upcoming OnePlus 9 flagship smartphones on 23 March. The launch event will be live streamed via the brand’s official website and social media channels at 10pm Malaysian time.

Defunct Smartphone Brand Essential Acquired By Former OnePlus CEO’s New Company

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” as the saying goes. And that opportunity has apparently been given to former Android co-founder Andy Rubin’s Essential smartphone company, which closed down in May of last year. According to 9to5Google, the defunct brand has been acquired by Nothing, the newly established startup founded by former OnePlus CEO Carl Pei.

The website reveals that, after combing through the UK Intellectual Property Office database, the transferred ownership of Essential’s trademark and logos to the startup company was signed on 6 January 2021. It is not known whether Nothing also acquired the brand’s patents for its smartphones or other devices, however.

As a crash course for the uninitiated, Essential was founded by Rubin alongside former Google colleague Matt Hersheson in 2015. Two years later, it would release the PH-1, its first ever smartphone, which gained a considerable following due to its unique modular capability.

The brand’s second phone, the Essential GEM (pictured on top), was announced back in 2019 and featured a thin yet tall form factor that almost resembles a TV remote. However, due to the brand’s niche approach and poor sales of its first product, the new handset was cancelled and the company itself folded not long after – making Essential an almost one-hit wonder in the smartphone industry.

Bonus fact: As a big fan of robotics, Andy Rubin was nicknamed “Android” by co-workers during his time at Apple in 1989. Little did his former colleagues know that the programmer would use that name to christen the operating system that would eventually rival the company’s iOS platform years later.

Meanwhile, Carl Pei formed his startup company Nothing in late January 2021, months after his departure from OnePlus. The newly established brand launched with some fanfare, revealing an impressive group of investors including former Apple executive Tony Fadell, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, and YouTuber Casey Neistat. Nothing recently announced that it will unveil its first product, a yet-to-be-named pair of wireless earphones, later in February.

The startup’s recently discovered acquisition may serve as a hint of things to come. In an interview with Bloomberg, Pei revealed that Nothing is planning to build an ecosystem of smart devices and noted that multiple non-audio products are slated to be unveiled throughout the year. This could potentially mean that the new brand may launch its own smartphones by reintroducing the Essential brand. With that, hopefully the cancelled GEM phone would also see a revived interest, should Pei’s company decide to pursue it.

OnePlus Teases Its First Smartband; Specifications Leak Shortly After

OnePlus is gearing up to launch its first ever wearable soon, as teased by its official Twitter account. However, instead of a smartwatch that was promised by company CEO Pete Lau in December, the new device appears to be a smartband – which is also another first for the brand.

Typical of any teaser, no further information regarding its specifications were provided apart from a small glimpse of the new device. But it didn’t take long until an unofficial source decided to spill the beans on OnePlus’ wearable.

According to leakster Ishan Agarwal, it will be known simply as the OnePlus Band and will feature a 1.1-inch touch AMOLED display, 14-day battery life, and is water resistant with a rating of IP68. He added that the smartband will also include features such as 24/7 heart rate and SpO2 blood saturation monitoring, sleep tracking, and 13 exercise modes.

OnePlus has yet to reveal the launch date for the Band itself, but Ishan believes that it will launch on 11 January in India. The leakster also suggests that the OnePlus wearable’s price is expected to be around INR2,499 (~RM137). Regardless, we will find out if the leaked information turns out to be accurate or not soon enough.

OnePlus Confirms To Release Its First Ever Smartwatch In 2021

 Remember the OneWatch leak that was reported about six years ago? That was probably the only instance that we’ve heard of OnePlus reportedly planning to debut its first ever smartwatch. Well, it appears that plan is finally going to be made a reality soon.

Company CEO Pete Lau recently took to Twitter to reveal that OnePlus will finally release a smartwatch in early 2021. “Many of you said you wanted a watch, and as you might have heard over the weekend – we’re making one, to be released early next year,” he wrote in the tweet.

However, the watch’s official name, specific details and images were not provided along with Lau’s announcement. If we were to speculate, it would only make sense for OnePlus to equip its first ever wearable with current technologies within trend such as an ECG monitor, health tracking sensors and a long lasting battery.

There’s also a possibility of the smartwatch to take some cues from the recent OPPO Watch series, seeing that both the company and OPPO share the same owner which is BKK Electronics. We just hope that for OnePlus’ sake, the new wearable would sport a fresh design instead of the ever-so-familiar Apple Watch look that most brands are offering with their smartwatch products.

As for the seemingly forgotten 2014 OneWatch, Lau told the Wall Street Journal that the initial concept was scrapped in favour of letting the company focus more on its smartphone releases. Now that an actual model is currently in development, we shall see whether the first ever OnePlus smartwatch will be worth the wait once it launches next year.

OnePlus 8T Concept Is A Phone With A Chameleon Design And Motion Tracking Sensor

The OnePlus 8T has been out for some time now and per our review, the phone is a pleasant step up from its non-T sibling. Recently, however, the phone brand teased the phone with a new concept phone, with the OnePlus 8T as its base.

Internally, the OnePlus 8T Concept is identical to its muse but rest assured, there are some differences. On the aesthetic level, the back of the phone sports a unique, colour-changing design that shifts between being blue and grey, based on motion.

The point brings us to the heart of the OnePlus 8T Concept’s colour-shifting nature, a motion-tracking radar module. It’s built into the main camera’s module and uses milimeter (MM) wave radar to “bounce electromagnetic waves” off its surroundings, thus allowing it to “perceive, image, locate, and track objects”.

There’s more to the phone’s motion tracker than just colour phasing too. From the video, we can see OnePlus has adapted the function to enable users to answer or hang up calls with just a gesture, along with the ability to sense a user’s breathing and sync the colour-changing it.

This isn’t the first time OnePlus has created and played around with the “Concept” version of its phone. Some of you may remember the OnePlus Concept One, which debuted at the start of the year. It was the first time the brand spoke about its colour-shifting glass technology, as well as an invisible camera that used electrochromic glass. And was made with the help of McLaren.

Sadly, however, it is unlikely that the OnePlus 8T Concept will ever go into production. Like the Concept One, the phone is merely a showcase of what the brand can do with the technology. Therefore, don’t expect to see the phone at your local retailers anytime soon.