OnePlus 8 design has been unveiled in shock pre-launch move

OnePlus 8
A shot of the OnePlus 8 from the company's video (Image credit: OnePlus)

Does OnePlus want us to watch the OnePlus 8 launch on April 14? After revealing its 120Hz display, Snapdragon 865 chipset and wireless charging capability, we assumed the company was done teasing us but the company just showed us the phone too.

In a post on the OnePlus forums, company CEO Pete Lau revealed some design features of the upcoming OnePlus 8 phone, exploring how the brand's phones have developed over the years up to this point.

In particular, Lau revealed the OnePlus 8 (presumably both the standard and Pro devices) will have 'Fifth-Generation Matte-Frosted Glass' so the same type of material as the OnePlus 7 Pro but improved in a few ways. 

Apparently, the back of the phone now provides a better haze effect than before, the device is easier and more comfortable to hold, and will be thinner and lighter than previous phones. It's starting to sound like the OnePlus 8 will feel truly premium to hold.

Vide-oh hello!

The forum post contains a few sketches of the OnePlus 8, giving us some clues as to what it'll look like, but the true highlight is a video which shows some of these sketches - as well as a render of the bottom of the phone.

Admittedly, this video doesn't give too much away, because we don't see the front of the phone nor the camera bump (thanks to a very coy cut just before we would) but it's still our first 'official' viewing of the phone.

The handset is pictured in a green color variant the handset has previously been heavily rumored to come in. There will be a few other colors too, according to OnePlus.

At this point it's starting to seem that OnePlus will have nothing to reveal on April 14, but there's more we've yet to see, like the camera capabilities of the new phone, so the launch will certainly still be worth watching. We will be covering the phones in full, so stay tuned to TechRadar on the day for all our news, analysis and reviews.

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford joined TechRadar in early 2019 as a staff writer, and left the team as deputy phones editor in late 2022 to work for entertainment site (and TR sister-site) What To Watch. He continues to contribute on a freelance basis for several sections including phones, audio and fitness.

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