OnePlus 6T: what we want to see

The OnePlus 6T launch is probably not too far off – assuming the Chinese firm continues to follow its half-yearly release schedule for its affordable flagship smartphones.

Update: There's potentially good news for US OnePlus fans, as the latest OnePlus 6T rumors suggest the handset will be available carrier T-Mobile.

The OnePlus 6 was another successful phone in the range, managing to match handsets almost twice its price. It was an exciting phone, so can you blame us for being excited about what’s coming next?

There aren't many OnePlus 6T leaks or rumors about at the moment, but we'll be constantly updating this page whenever we hear something new. 

In the meantime, here's what we know, what we think we know, and what we'd like to see from the new OnePlus phone.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next T-variant flagship from OnePlus
• When is it out? Likely November 2018
• What will it cost? Probably at least $529 / £469 (around AU$840)

OnePlus 6T release date and price

The OnePlus 6T release date is likely to be around November 2018, as that's when the OnePlus 5T arrived last year, and the OnePlus 3T in 2016.

It would be the firm's third 'T' variant device, as it looks to bridge the gap between its new-number launches in June.

However, there's a suggestion that the OnePlus 6T may not launch at all this year, due to a lack of new, cutting -edge features being available to make it worthwhile.

We'd say that's pretty unlikely as the company has found a nice rhythm in its six monthly cycle, and with no OnePlus 6T launch in November it doesn't give the firm much to talk about and keep itself relevant - which can be difficult when you have just one handset to market.

There’s no word currently on the OnePlus 6T price, but the OnePlus 6 started at $529 / £469 (around AU$840) and prices have been gradually creeping up since the range began, so we expect the OnePlus 6T will cost at least that much, if not slightly more.

In the US you may be able to buy the OnePlus 6T from a carrier, as OnePlus has said it's looking into it, and a more recent rumor suggests the Chinese firm will open up a partnership with T-Mobile US.

OnePlus 6T news and rumors

The phone may well have a glass back, since OnePlus only recently switched to glass with the OnePlus 6.

It’s likely to also have an alert slider, as previous handsets in the range do, and it’s sure to have the best Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset available at the time along with masses of RAM (the OnePlus 6 came with a choice of 6GB or 8GB).

Don’t expect a microSD card slot though, based on past form, while the screen resolution is very much a question mark – OnePlus has consistently stuck with Full HD resolutions, but that’s feeling ever more dated, so sooner or later we’d expect a jump to QHD or higher.

An interesting link that's been made suggests the OnePlus 6T could share several of the features found on the Oppo R17. That phone boasts a large display and dual rear cameras – so nothing new there – but more interestingly it also has a much smaller notch at the top of the display than the OnePlus 6, while the fingerprint scanner is embedded in the screen.

Previous OnePlus handsets have borne more than a passing resemblance to Oppo phones (both manufacturers are owned by the same firm), so the link here isn't all that hard to fathom. 

However, we'd be surprised if the OnePlus 6T does pack an in-screen fingerprint scanner, as the tech is still a premium feature that will likely cost a lot to implement.

OnePlus 6T: what we want to see

We don’t know anything much about the OnePlus 6T yet, but based on the OnePlus 6 and what’s going on in the rest of the phone world we know what we want from it.

1. A QHD and/or HDR screen

One of the most obvious ways OnePlus manages to keep the costs of its handsets down is with the screen. Every OnePlus flagship to date has come with a Full HD resolution display, but that's no longer the norm at the top of the mobile market.

QHD (2K) resolutions now adorn many of the top Android smartphones, and with the increasing screen size of recent OnePlus handsets a higher resolution would mean an even sharper screen.

There is an argument that the difference between Full HD and QHD isn't all that obvious, and for many that's true – so here's a different suggestion for the OnePlus 6T: HDR (high dynamic range).

If the OnePlus 6T screen features HDR support it would make movies and gaming look even better, with enhanced light and dark areas providing added depth and immersion.

2. A whopping 512GB of storage

This wouldn't be a cheap option, but it's one that will likely please the hardcore OnePlus fans, as the company appears to be dead-set against including an expandable storage option on its devices.

We've already seen 512GB teased for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, so it wouldn't be the first to offer this storage size, and it means we could go crazy with the 4K video recording and Netflix downloads.

3. Keeping the headphone jack

OnePlus has been very vocal over the past year or so about the fact that it's kept the 3.5mm headphone port on its smartphones while others ditch it from their devices.

We want the port to remain on the OnePlus 6T, providing users with the flexibility of being able to plug in their favorite set of headphones which also keeping the USB-C port available, just in case you need to charge the phone as well.

4. Stereo speakers

The OnePlus 6 has just a single speaker, and its placement at the base of the phone makes it easy to muffle, so we’d like to see it ideally moved and definitely doubled up for the OnePlus 7, with a second speaker allowing for loud stereo sound.

Sure, you’ll probably mostly use headphones anyway, but having a quality speaker setup can make all the difference when you just want to watch a YouTube video or listen to a podcast without plugging in.

5. No notch

The OnePlus 6 is one of many recent phones to get a notch, and while it can be hidden if you prefer, what we’d really prefer for the OnePlus 6T is no notch at all.

But we don’t want a return to big bezels either. We’re starting to see phones like the Vivo Nex and Oppo Find X which have almost no bezel at all, and we’d like the OnePlus 6T to join them – which isn’t out of the question, given the aforementioned  Oppo/OnePlus connection.

6. Wireless charging

Despite having a glass back, the OnePlus 6 doesn’t support wireless charging, which seems like a major omission for a flagship phone.

This is probably a cost-cutting measure – and in a sense it seems reasonable, since we doubt wireless charging is a heavily used feature – but it would be nice to have.

7. An in-screen fingerprint scanner

Along with an all-screen design we’d like the OnePlus 6T to have an in-screen fingerprint scanner. That way the phone could still have a scanner without it having to be awkwardly placed on the back.

And in-screen scanners are currently a high-tech novelty, and having one could help the OnePlus 6T stand out from the crowd – or at least match up to it, depending on how many phones have them by the time the OnePlus 6T launches.

• We also expect to see the Google Pixel 3 before the year is out