OnePlus 8T may not be joined by an 8T Pro, and we can take a good guess why

OnePlus 7T
OnePlus 7T (Image credit: Future)

The last few generations of OnePlus flagships have all been accompanied by Pro variants, but the OnePlus 8T might be the first since 2018 not to.

That's according to Twitter leaked Max J – and they have a fairly solid track record when it comes to leaks, so it's worth paying attention. In a tweet, Max J shared a picture of the word 'Kebab2', crossed out by a 'no entry' symbol – if you're confused at this point, bear with us. 

'Kebab' is rumored to be the codename for the OnePlus 8T – phones from the company always have snack food codenames – and OnePlus watchers replying to  Max J took the image to mean there won't be a OnePlus 8T Pro. Max J clarified that this was what he was suggesting in a subsequent tweet.

If this leaker is correct, the OnePlus 8T will arrive without a more powerful sibling, and if that's the case OnePlus phone fans might be disappointed – but we can think of a very simple reason why there might only be one 8T device.

See more

Blame the OnePlus Nord

OnePlus upset its release schedule this year by bringing out the OnePlus Nord, an affordable 5G phone which harkens back to the days when OnePlus phones were considered 'flagship killers', rather than flagships themselves.

People looking for a lower-cost OnePlus phone, who in previous years might have opted for the non-Pro device, are now catered for by the Nord, so there's no need for the company to put out a flagship phone that cuts a few corners in order to keep the price down.

The OnePlus 8T can be a full-blown 'Pro' device in all but name, with all the top specs and features users would expect, and the company wouldn't need to put out a separate device for those looking for a more affordable option – and that would especially be the case if, as some think, a OnePlus Nord Lite is launched soon.

Still, this is all speculation and rumor, and it's likely that we'll need to wait until the OnePlus 8T launch before we know for certain that there won't be a Pro version. That launch is expected to take place some time in October, and stay tuned to TechRadar for any more leaks or information that surface.

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.


He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist. He also currently works in film as a screenwriter, director and producer.