The OnePlus Nord is official. After months of rumors and speculation, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has confirmed the name of its upcoming, and much-teased, affordable phone.
- Exclusive: OnePlus Nord chipset, 5G and 3 key focuses revealed
- OnePlus has also revealed the OnePlus Nord price
The handset was originally rumored to be called variously the OnePlus 8 Lite and OnePlus Z, and the OnePlus Nord name also saw its fair share of leaks – and it's the moniker the firm has settled on.
In its announcement, OnePlus said that Nord is also a new product line for the company, which may mean the affordable handset – which the firm has confirmed is on its way – will have a name that's an extension of 'OnePlus Nord'.
OnePlus founder and CEO Pete Lau confirmed that the OnePlus Nord smartphone will be available in Europe and India first, while "a select number of users in North America will also get a chance to experience the new device through a highly limited beta program after launch".
It's not clear why OnePlus is running a beta program in the US, or how many units will be available, but we'll update you when we know more.
OnePlus also confirmed, via its Instagram channel, that 100 units of its new smartphone will be available to order at 9am BST (4am EDT, 1am PDT) on July 1.
- OnePlus Nord: everything you need to know
- In-depth reviews: OnePlus 8 | OnePlus 8 Pro
- Meet Xiaomi's OnePlus Nord rival: the Poco F2 Pro
What will the OnePlus Nord offer?
This is the first time since the launch of the short-lived OnePlus X in 2015 that OnePlus is launching an affordable handset alongside its flagship offering.
OnePlus hasn't provided any further information on the OnePlus Nord yet, so that name is all we know for certain, but various leaks have hinted at what we may be able to expect.
According to a recent rumor, the OnePlus Nord is set to have dual front-facing cameras (32MP + 8MP) in a punch-hole cutout in the corner of the screen.
Meanwhile, a specs leak suggests the OnePlus Nord will come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset, 6GB of RAM, a 6.65-inch screen and three rear cameras – however this report also says the phone will have just one front-facing camera.
An older report claims the handset will come with a MediaTek 1000 chipset, a single front camera and 6.4-inch screen.
All this means we're not totally clear about what the OnePlus Nord will look like when it officially launches, and we're still awaiting word on when that will be.
