There's no OnePlus 8T Pro coming alongside the OnePlus 8T, despite the company putting out Pro versions of the OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 8. But this isn't simply because 2020 is a year that keeps ruining everything – and the reason makes a lot of sense.
Ahead of the OnePlus 8T launch, Pete Lau, OnePlus CEO, confirmed that the Pro model wasn't coming and provided a brief explanation of why, saying "users who like Pro-level products can continue to choose OnePlus 8 Pro, the annual machine king. Our plan for it is itself defined in a direction where there is no room for upgrade".
It's worth pointing out that Lau's message was subject to a rough translation, which is why it's a little garbled, and Lau tip-toes around the subject slightly, but the meaning is clear: the OnePlus 8 Pro remains the company's top product, and it sees no need for an upgraded version.
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There's likely a second reason hidden behind those words: it's likely that the OnePlus 8 Pro is still selling well, and the company wouldn't want to risk impacting sales by launching an 8T Pro to divide, and potentially confuse, buyers.
We've seen precedent for this from Oppo, OnePlus' sister company. With the launch of the Oppo Reno 2 line in 2019 the company didn't put out a successor to the Reno 10x Zoom, the top-end device from the first generation, and the company told us it was because the 10x Zoom remained a top offering from the company.
Could a OnePlus 8T Pro come out later?
If you were hoping the lack of a OnePlus 8T Pro might be remedied later then we're sorry to say it doesn't seem likely.
In fact, until the OnePlus 9 launch in early 2021, we wouldn't expect any more main-series devices from the company, as there isn't much new tech it could incorporate to improve on OnePlus 8 Pro.
There will likely be more affordable OnePlus phones though – we're expecting a OnePlus Nord follow-up soon, but that likely won't appeal to people who were hoping for a OnePlus 8T Pro.
If the non-appearance of a 8T Pro ruins your phone-buying plans, don't worry, as there are plenty ofother devices you could consider instead. Check out our list of the best smartphones, or check our some similar devices we've listed below.
