Beware! The latest Oxygen OS could wipe clean your OnePlus 8, 8 Pro.

 

• A stable Oxygen OS update is leading to a full data wipe of the OnePlus 8 series.
• The problem affects OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro devices running Oxygen OS 11 open beta 3.
• OnePlus has acknowledged the issue and has warned against upgrading.

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OnePlus rolled out the stable Oxygen OS 11.0.1.1 update for the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro over the weekend. However, the software which followed Oxygen OS 11 open beta 3 is anything but stable. A number of open beta 3 users who received the update have reported that it’s causing a full data wipe of their phones.

Once the update is installed, users are asked to reboot their devices. When they do so, the data on their phones is completely wiped. Sadly, multiple users report that their phones were set to auto-update and they had no choice but to install the faulty software.

One user even tried to downgrade to Oxygen OS 10 and update back to Oxygen OS 11 open beta 3 in an effort to fix the problem. However, even with auto-updates switched off, the user reports that the phone self updated, asked for a reboot, and then wiped all the data again.

Also read: The best OnePlus phones you can buy right now

OnePlus, on its part, has acknowledged the problem. A staffer took to the company’s forums on Saturday, saying that the OnePlus software team is looking into the matter. The person also warned users against upgrading to the stable update.

“If you receive an update OTA, please double-confirm if it’s an open beta update. If it isn’t, please do not install it,” reads a notice on the OnePlus forums.

In the meantime, if you have already installed the update but haven’t restarted your phone, OnePlus recommends you follow the steps below to avoid data loss.

• Install this APK. You need to install it after the update was installed but before you restart.
• After the APK is installed, run the application, and tap “Keep Data.”
• You should now be able to restart the phone without losing your data.

OnePlus says users should still back up essential data before rebooting their phones after following the aforementioned steps.

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/3n5UTgO

OnePlus Watch: All the rumors and what we want to see (Updated: November: 9)

Update: November 9, 2020 (12:40 AM ET): According to a tipster, the OnePlus Watch will not run on Google’s Wear OS platform. That was one of the top items on our wishlist but looks like OnePlus is taking a different direction. We’ve updated the original rumor hub below to reflect the latest information.

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Original article: September 27, 2020 (4 AM ET): OnePlus has long aspired to create an ecosystem of devices that stretches beyond smartphones. The company’s efforts towards achieving this goal started with the OnePlus Bullets Wireless neckband earphones back in 2018. Since then, OnePlus has expanded its lineup with TWS earphones, wireless chargers, and even televisions. However, the fitness wearables space is one that the manufacturer has left untouched till now. This is about to change.

From Oppo to Realme, to Vivo — all of OnePlus’ sister companies under the BBK Electronics umbrella have announced or launched a fitness wearable. The Oppo and Vivo smartwatches are the latest in this onslaught, and by the looks of it, OnePlus isn’t trailing far behind. Enter the OnePlus Watch.

So far, little is known about OnePlus’ debut endeavor in the smartwatch category, but we’ll round up all the rumors in this article. We’ll also list out some expectations we have from the OnePlus Watch, given the crowded market it’s about to enter.

OnePlus Watch: Name and release date

It’s not surprising that OnePlus is making a smartwatch. Creating accessories to go alongside smartphones has been a practice in the tech industry since kingdom come. Samsung has done it, Apple has done it, Xiaomi’s in the thick of it, and nearly every major smartphone brand you can name is expanding its wearables portfolio.

OnePlus first dabbled with the idea of a smartwatch in 2016, but ultimately shelved the idea. In fact, the brand had a completed smartwatch back then but decided against bringing it to the market for whatever reason.

This year, the OnePlus smartwatch rumors were reignited by a listing of the device on the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) certification website. The regulatory listing mentioned a smartwatch with model number “W301GB” and the “OnePlus Watch” moniker. A OnePlus-branded smartwatch was also later spotted on India’s BIS certification website by twitter tipster Mukul Sharma.

Electronic devices usually go through such certification processes just before launch. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the release of the OnePlus Watch is imminent, but it’s at least a strong indication that the device exists and is under development.

Also read: The best smartwatches you can buy right now

Besides the regulatory sightings, TechRadar also cited a former OnePlus employee who stated that the company has “actively been looking into a smartwatch for the last year.”

Credit:

OnePlus/Twitter

For the longest time, OnePlus hadn’t whispered a word about the watch. The company finally acknowledged its plans of adding a smartwatch to its ecosystem on October 15.

Through a teaser posted by the OnePlus India handle on Twitter, the company revealed that the launch of a new smartwatch is “just a matter of time.” Our closest guess to a possible launch timeline is sometime before the end of the year.

On October 27, tipster Max J revealed that the smartwatch’s launch has been postponed to a new unknown date. It’s now unclear if the device will make its debut in 2020.

OnePlus Watch rumored design and specs

Credit: Digital Chat Station

There isn’t a single leak out there about the specs of the so-called OnePlus Watch. The only info so far comes from tipster Max J on Twitter, who posted a cryptic teaser about the smartwatch having a round dial instead of a square face.

Credit:

Max J / Twitter

The tipster doesn’t even mention the name of the smartwatch. He only alludes to its possible circular design, which immediately distinguishes it from the Apple Watch-esque Oppo Watch. However, it does open up the possibility of the OnePlus Watch resembling the round Vivo Watch or the Realme Watch S Pro.

If that’s the case, OnePlus might not have to build a smartwatch chassis from scratch. It could just borrow Vivo or Realme’s design and slap its preferred hardware on it. Then again, OnePlus might adopt a completely fresh approach for its first timepiece.

OnePlus Watch: What we want to see

While we don’t have any clue about the specs and software of the OnePlus Watch, there are a few things we would like to see on it. Whether OnePlus has already thought of these or not is anyone’s guess, but here’s what a OnePlus Watch looks like in our minds.

Bright AMOLED always-on display

An OLED or AMOLED display is the gold standard for smartwatches right now. We would love to see the OnePlus Watch bring a bright and crisp always-on AMOLED screen like the one on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 or even the Oppo Watch. Sure, that means you won’t get battery life that lasts weeks, but no full-fledged smartwatch can promise you that these days. The Galaxy Watch 3 tops out at around three days with AOD turned off, while the Oppo Watch easily lasts 24 hours with the feature turned on.

Not many AMOLED-touting watches can last for a week or more, though some Fitbit and Garmin devices do. I would be happy if the OnePlus Watch could take phone calls, get notifications, run apps, track workouts, and basically do everything a smartwatch is expected to do. Of course, with an always-on AMOLED screen that doesn’t kill the watch by mid-day and makes it tick for at least 24 hours.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus

OnePlus and Qualcomm have had a great partnership when it comes to smartphones, and we expect to see the same for when the company launches smartwatches. Unlike the Oppo Watch that houses the two-year-old Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset, we hope the OnePlus Watch upgrades to the Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus.

The new 12nm chip promises the fastest clock speed (1.7GHz) on any Snapdragon Wear platform by Qualcomm to date. Compared to the 1.1GHz clock speed on the Wear 3100, this should feel like a significant boost. The new-generation chip also improves upon memory, GPU, and camera performance, and comes with a co-processor which promises great improvements to battery life. Pair this with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage, and you’ll have quite the powerful watch on your wrist.

Wear OS with some tweaks

Let’s be honest, Google’s Wear OS platform hasn’t really managed to dominate the smartwatch ecosystem. It’s mostly relied on Qualcomm’s hardware, and that door was shut for the past two years. With the new Wear 4100 chipset, there’s renewed hope for the future of Wear OS watches. There’s also a new version of Wear OS that’s based on Android 11 and supports the latest Snapdragon Wear chips. It promises faster app starts, quicker access to info, a simplified pairing process, improved support for LTE, and more. For best-in-class smartwatch performance, we would have liked to see the OnePlus Watch pair the Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus with the latest Wear OS software out-of-the-box.

Also read: The best Wear OS apps for Android

However, according to tipster Max J, the wearable will not feature Wear OS. That opens up the possibility of OnePlus designing its own software for the watch. We wouldn’t mind seeing some smart software tweaks such as a reimagined ZenMode for watches or custom battery modes like the Fossil Gen 5. It’s also entirely possible that the OnePlus Watch will be a basic fitness watch, sans any third-party apps, like what we’ve seen from Huami’s Amazfit.

Match rivals’ features

We don’t want OnePlus to hide behind an eye-watering number of fitness/sports modes like some watches out there, while compromising on the accuracy of core sensors (read Amazfit Stratos 3). What we want to see is an accurate heart rate and GPS sensor, NFC for remote payments, wireless charging, OnePlus’ signature Warp Charging, as well as blood oxygen monitoring. Stuff like Google Assistant support will automatically come if the watch sports the Wear OS platform. All this will ensure the OnePlus Watch stands on equal footing with other recent smartwatches like the Apple Watch 6 or the Galaxy Watch 3.

A measured price

What we’ve described above may sound like the perfect Wear OS smartwatch, and you might say that all this can’t possibly come cheap. You would be right. We don’t expect the OnePlus Watch to be under $200 with all these features and the latest Qualcomm chipsets. If the leaked Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 price is any indicator, then the OnePlus Watch could cost around $400. That’ll put it in a tough spot because the Galaxy Watch 3 and the Apple Watch 6 are priced in the same ballpark.

There’s also the Apple Watch SE that comes in at $199, and that’s the one OnePlus would probably have to beat. Both Apple and Samsung are ecosystem leaders for smartwatches, and OnePlus has its work cut out for it. Maybe a $250-$300 price point could make the OnePlus Watch the best Wear OS watch to buy. I guess we’ll have to wait and watch.

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Samsung Galaxy S30 series: Everything we know so far (Updated: Nov. 9)

Credit: Oliver Cragg / Android Authority

Update: November 9, 2020 (12:25 AM ET): We’ve updated the rumor hub with yet another report mentioning a January launch date for the Galaxy S30 series. Read on for all the new information.

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Believe it or not, we are in the final quarter of 2020. That means we’re only a few months away from the launch of the next entry in Samsung’s flagship smartphone line, tentatively known as the Samsung Galaxy S30 series.

Since it’s early, there aren’t too many solid rumors about the devices to find. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have at least a few credible rumors. We also can make confident assumptions about certain aspects based on the history of the line. What we know so far is chronicled in our roundup below.

As usual, be sure to bookmark this page so you’re always up-to-date on the latest info surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S30 phones!

Samsung Galaxy S30 series: Name and release date

In 2020, Samsung upended its naming scheme for the Galaxy S series in multiple ways. It jumped from 10 to 20 for its numbering and also introduced the Ultra moniker. These big changes make it tricky to deduce what the company could call the next iteration of the series.

Related: Samsung Galaxy S series: A history of the biggest name in Android

Our money is on the company using Samsung Galaxy S30 as the branding in 2021. Some will argue that Samsung might instead use Galaxy S21, but we are doubtful. Our four biggest reasons for thinking so are:

• Samsung already jumped from S10 to S20. It likely won’t go back to single point launches for this release.
• S30 is a far more marketable name than S21.
• The S21 branding would cause confusion with the Galaxy A and Galaxy F series which use “XX1” numbers (A01, A51, F41, etc.).
• Huawei set the precedent when it jumped from the P10 to the P20 and then continued on to the P30 and P40.

As of now, there is no concrete information proving it’s going to be one name or the other.

As far as a release date goes, we naturally assumed Samsung would announce the Galaxy S30 series in mid-February 2021. That’s the timeframe in which the company has launched every iteration of the Galaxy S series since the Galaxy S9. However, rumors are popping up that Samsung could push that date forward by a significant margin.

In October 2020, The Elec and SamMobile both claimed that the phones could launch as early as the beginning of January. This was followed by a report from Korea’s Maeil Business outlet in November, claiming that the Galaxy S30 series could be revealed in January 2021 with sales starting from late January.

On November 4, frequent tipster Jon Prosser claimed on Twitter that the Galaxy S30 series would be announced on January 14, 2021. Prosser added that sales would kick off from January 29. Check out a screenshot of the tweet below.

Credit:

Twitter/Jon Prosser

The leaker doesn’t have a perfect track record, most recently predicting a November 17 Apple event that turned out to be taking place on November 10. But this tweet still adds to the growing chorus of an earlier than usual launch.

Reuters then reported on November 9 that Samsung could launch the Galaxy S30 series as early as “late January,” citing three sources. The newswire claimed that the Korean brand is going for an early launch in order to take advantage of Huawei’s struggles and fend off Apple.

Models and designs

As mentioned, this year saw the introduction of the Ultra moniker with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. With the successive launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, we are going to go ahead and assume that Samsung intends to launch a Galaxy S30 Ultra, too.

There will obviously be a vanilla Samsung Galaxy S30, too. Rumors also suggest Samsung will stick with three variants of the 2021 Galaxy S phones, so there will likely be an S30 Plus.

Related: Samsung Galaxy S20 buyer’s guide

If we assume that there will be three models in the Galaxy S30 series, we can also assume that they will all look very similar to one another. In fact, leaked renders of the Galaxy S30 lineup show three phones that look almost identical, albeit for a few minor differences.

The standard Samsung Galaxy S30 is rumored to measure 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm. It could feature a 6.2-inch flat display with a centered punch hole. There are three cameras on the back of the phone as pictured in the renders. See for yourself below.

The Galaxy S30 Plus hasn’t seen full CAD renders leak yet. However, we did find the following image, which shows a design very similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy S30:

Credit: MySmartPrice

Finally, renders of the Galaxy S30 Ultra show a quad-camera setup fitted inside a much bigger housing. The phone could come with a 6.7-inch-6.9-inch display with a single punch-hole camera.

You can see the renders for the Galaxy S30 Ultra below.

Not long after those renders leaked, an updated version leaked, too. This one suggests there could be an extra lens on the back of the S30 Ultra:

Credit: Steve Hemmerstoffer

We’ll need to wait and see if these renders end up aligning with the final designs. However, these renders come from a quality source, so we expect the final products to look very similar.

Samsung Galaxy S30 series: Specs and features

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority

Since we’re still early on in the release cycle, a lot of the spec rumors we’ve found seem far-fetched or contradict rumors from more reliable sources. Keep that in mind as you search the internet for news on the Samsung Galaxy S30 series.

Some specs we don’t need rumors for, though. We can be relatively assured that the Galaxy S30 series will pack the Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 chipset. Samsung has a long history of introducing the latest Qualcomm flagship silicon in the Galaxy S series, and there aren’t any credible rumors to suggest that won’t happen again in 2021. Unfortunately, the company will almost certainly still use its own Exynos processors for models launched outside of North America.

Related: Samsung Exynos processor guide: Everything you need to know

We can also go ahead and assume that none of the specs of the Galaxy S20 series will see a downgrade. That means no phone should have less than 12GB of RAM, less than 128GB of internal storage, or less than a 1440p display resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.

Battery and power

We do have rumors for a handful of credible-seeming battery and power specs, though. The biggest leaks we trust so far are related to the battery capacities of the three assumed models in the Galaxy S30 line. The rumors suggest that Samsung could skip updating its advertised battery capacities for the Galaxy S30 and Galaxy S30 Ultra, sticking with 4,000mAh for the former and 5,000mAh for the latter. The Galaxy S30 Plus could see a slight bump to 4,800mAh from the advertised 4,500mAh capacity of the Galaxy S20 Plus.

It doesn't look like the Galaxy S30 and Galaxy S30 Ultra will see battery boosts. The Galaxy S30 Plus might, though.

Somewhat related to the battery, we also have rumors that ultra-fast wired charging could be on-hand for the series. It’s possible Samsung could introduce 65W charging speeds to the Galaxy S line. This makes sense as OnePlus just launched the OnePlus 8T, which has this feature. However, there is evidence to suggest that not all variants of the line will have it. If that’s true, it’s likely the Galaxy S30 Ultra would get it exclusively. It’s also possible, though, that all the phones will have the option, but only the Ultra will have the in-box charger capable of delivering those speeds.

There is a rumor, too, that Samsung could drop the in-box chargers for all the phones in the line, just like Apple did with the iPhone 12 lineup. This is unsubstantiated for now, though.

Samsung Galaxy S30 camera systems

We also have rumors concerning the camera system of the Galaxy S30 Ultra. So far, it seems the S30 Ultra could stick with the 108MP sensor of the S20/Note 20 Ultras and offer two telephoto lenses, one of which likely being part of a periscope zoom setup. The same 40MP sensor found on the S20 Ultra’s selfie camera would likely make its way to the S30 Ultra, too.

Finally, we have a rumor related to a feature that likely won’t be in the Galaxy S30 series: in-display selfie cameras. Allegedly, Samsung wasn’t able to meet the production demands necessary to include this new technology in the Galaxy S phones. Instead, it’s rumored Samsung could push that feature to the third-gen Galaxy Z Fold, likely known as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Pricing and availability

Every year since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9, the company has raised the introductory pricing of its phones. One would expect that trend to continue in 2021 with the Samsung Galaxy S30 series.

However, we’re not sure that will be the case. There are three major factors that make us think so:

• Rumored sales figures for the Galaxy S20 series suggest Samsung was deeply unhappy with the numbers.
• Samsung has seen more global success with its mid-range line of Galaxy A devices, which are priced to move. The Galaxy S20 FE has also proven to be incredibly popular with fans, which suggests a lower-priced phone would be the better decision.
• All credible scientific data suggests the COVID-19 pandemic will continue deep into 2021.

When you combine these three bits of info, they strongly suggest that Samsung needs to lower or keep the same pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S30 series, not raise it.

One possible way around this is for Samsung to make the vanilla Galaxy S30 the same price or cheaper than the $999 price tag of the Galaxy S20. This could make the Galaxy S30 series more accessible. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S30 Plus and Galaxy S30 Ultra could be priced higher for those who can afford all the best specs and features. This is a similar approach to what Samsung did with the Galaxy Note 20 phones.

As for availability, Korea’s Maeil Business reported that the phones could go on sale from late January, with some regions getting it in early February. Meanwhile, tipster Jon Prosser asserted that pre-orders would go live on January 14 followed by a release date of January 29.

Regardless, it is very likely the Samsung Galaxy S30 series could be available to buy in early 2021 all around the world.

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That’s all we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy S30 series. Be sure to bookmark this page so you are always up-to-date on the latest rumors!

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OnePlus 9: Everything we know so far and what we want to see

Time doesn’t stand still for smartphone companies, and OnePlus is no exception. After launching the OnePlus 8 in April, and the OnePlus 8T in October, there’s already buzz about the next OnePlus flagship. Set to be the company’s flag bearer in 2021, the OnePlus 9 has some big shoes to fill.

All signs point to an earlier than expected launch for the flagship. Ahead of the official reveal, we’ve gathered up all the credible rumors and early leaks relating to the OnePlus 9. We’ve also put together a wishlist of what we want to see from the next OnePlus flagship series. Be sure to bookmark this page, as we’ll be updating it regularly as we get closer to the release date.

Name and release date

Not much is known about the OnePlus 9 at present, but the device’s codename is expected to continue the food theme of previous OnePlus phones. The OnePlus 9 is reportedly known as “lemonade” internally. For reference, the OnePlus 8 was known as “instantnoodle,” while the 8T was dubbed “kebab.” If you now need a snack break, we understand.

There’s a good chance the OnePlus 9 series will make an earlier-than-expected appearance. According to a report in October, the OnePlus 9 release date could hit in mid-March. That would be around a month earlier than the OnePlus 8’s April 14 debut. It’s a play that could be adopted by Samsung in 2021 too based on early Galaxy S30 rumors.

Models and design

It’s unclear if there’ll be a OnePlus 9 Pro variant, but XDA believes it’ll make an appearance based on code uncovered in an Oxygen OS 11 beta build. The code also hints at Verizon and T-Mobile models.

OnePlus sowed doubt when it dropped the Pro model from the 8T series, so it’s not out of the question that this trend could continue with the firm’s forthcoming flagship line.

Read more: Everything you need to know about OnePlus

We’ve not yet seen any CAD-based renders of the OnePlus 9 just yet, so the design remains a mystery. That said, there are two paths OnePlus could consider. The firm could continue using the OnePlus 8’s design language complete with a centered vertical rear camera array, or adopt the oval-rectangular rear camera array as used on the OnePlus Nord and 8T.

For marketing purposes, the OnePlus 8’s rear panel is arguably more distinctive. The OnePlus 8T’s design, meanwhile, is perhaps too reminiscent of the budget Nord.

OnePlus 9: Specs and features

Credit: Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

We’ve seen few definitive specs leaks so far, but we can make educated guesses based on OnePlus’ previous flagships.

OnePlus employed 6.55-inch displays on both 2020 range-toppers, so we wouldn’t be too surprised if that size trend continues. Android Authority readers have told us they’d love a smaller OnePlus 9 model to rival the iPhone 12 Mini, but there’s little evidence such a device is in the works.

The OnePlus 8T also introduced 120Hz refresh rates into the mix, which we also expect to feature on the OnePlus 9 series.

As for internals, it’s usually a case of iterative upgrades. So expect the Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 to power the flagship line mated to at least 8GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

Lastly, if OnePlus goes for a larger display and larger body, we could see a bulkier battery than the OnePlus 8T’s 4,500mAh cell. Speaking of charging, we expect 65W Warp Charge to feature, too.

OnePlus 9: Price and availability

Finally, let’s talk about the OnePlus 9 price. The ace up the OnePlus 8’s sleeve was its sticker. Arriving at $699, it was among the cheapest flagships launched in 2020; a year that saw the likes of Samsung and Apple once again break the $1,000 barrier. Granted, the 128GB OnePlus 8 Pro came in at $899, but we’d argue that’s still a fair price for an excellent flagship. We expect the OnePlus 9 to debut between the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro’s price band.

Read more: How the price of OnePlus phones has changed over the years

A swathe of Android Authority readers wants the firm to drop the price of the upcoming flagship instead of adding new features. It’s unclear if OnePlus would consider doing this with the OnePlus 9.

Should the OnePlus 9 series debut in mid-March, it’ll likely go on sale a few days later in markets like the US. For Indian buyers, the OnePlus 8 was made available more than a month later.

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OnePlus 9: What we want to see

With the new rumors swirling, we started thinking about what we’d like to see with the first 2021 flagship from OnePlus. The OnePlus 8 series faced a few setbacks that we hope get corrected. We also hope OnePlus will continue to push forward by offering innovative new features and design elements.

Below is a realistic list of things OnePlus could potentially do with the OnePlus 9 series. We’re not going to wish for things we are relatively certain we are going to get. It’s almost assured that the next OnePlus flagships will have the Snapdragon 875 processor, for example, so wishing for that isn’t worthwhile.

Without further ado, here’s what we want to see from the OnePlus 9!

1. A smaller form factor

This is something OnePlus fans have wanted for a long, long time. With the launch of the iPhone 12 Mini, there’s a big opportunity: it’s time for a smaller OnePlus phone.

Related: The iPhone 12 Mini is proof there should have been a Galaxy S20e

With the differences between the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro being kind of blurry to the general consumer, this would be an easy way to differentiate the OnePlus 9 from the Pro variant. The Pro could stay the same size as we’ve seen from previous Pro-level OnePlus devices, while the vanilla model could be much more compact.

Samsung dropped the ball by not launching a Samsung Galaxy S20e, so a “mini” OnePlus phone would capture an untapped market in the Android world.

2. Wireless charging and IP rating for all

The two big differentiators between the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro were the latter’s IP rating and wireless charging capabilities. In a way, that makes sense, as it makes the price difference between the two acceptable.

However, it will be 2021 when these phones launch. A flagship phone that costs more than $700 needs an IP rating and wireless charging. OnePlus can’t get away with passing over these features anymore, not when it has a budget line for phones without those features and when the $699 Galaxy S20 FE has both.

Granted, it will still need to make sure the OnePlus 9 Pro is better than the regular model. While it can’t wiggle with the IP rating, it could offer ultra-fast wireless charging with the Pro model while just putting regular wireless charging in the vanilla variant. We think buyers would be totally fine with that.

3. Warp Charge 65 for all

Credit: Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

While OnePlus could keep Warp Charge 30 Wireless off the OnePlus 9 and reserve it only for the Pro, it can’t do that with Warp Charge 65. Both the regular and Pro variants need to have Warp Charge 65. It wouldn’t make any sense for the OnePlus 8T to have it and then only the Pro flagships to have it after that.

Related: How fast charging really works

This is probably the wishlist feature that is most likely to come true. However, OnePlus will be looking for ways to make the OnePlus 9 Pro seem more premium than the regular model, and eliminating Warp Charge 65 on the lesser variant could do the trick. Don’t do it, OnePlus, it would be a bad move.

4. The end of gimmicky cameras

In 2020, OnePlus suffered severely from a “more is more” mentality when it comes to cameras. In an effort to get as many lenses as possible into its phones, it started throwing silly gimmicks in. We’re talking about the color filter lens on the OnePlus 8 Pro, the monochrome lens on the OnePlus 8T, or even the macro lenses on multiple phones from the company.

The OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro should have three lenses: a main, an ultra-wide, and a telephoto. That’s it. Maybe the Pro could get periscope zoom or maybe the vanilla model could have a weaker sensor in comparison. Whatever OnePlus wants to do there we’ll be fine with, as long as those three lenses are there. No more, no less.

5. Higher storage options, at least for OnePlus 9 Pro

There hasn’t been a OnePlus phone — ever — with more than 256GB of internal storage. There also hasn’t been a OnePlus phone with expandable storage (with the sole exception of the OnePlus X).

It is time for there to be an option for a 512GB variant of a OnePlus phone. The OnePlus 9 Pro would be the perfect candidate for this. It could help justify its inevitably higher price when compared to the vanilla model. It would make fans happy and also entice people who pass over OnePlus phones because they need more storage space.

6. In-display selfie camera

We have heard reliable rumors that Samsung is probably not going to deliver an in-display selfie camera on the upcoming Galaxy S30 series. That makes the OnePlus 9 series the perfect candidate for the first global release of the technology.

OnePlus beat Samsung to the punch with in-display fingerprint sensors with the OnePlus 6T. Now, it has the opportunity to do it again with an in-display selfie camera. It’s perfect.

Of course, this would likely only be reserved for the OnePlus 9 Pro. It also would likely produce weaker results when compared to “normal” selfie cameras. However, being first-to-market has its advantages, even if the quality isn’t there. It’s a worthwhile risk, OnePlus!

7. Flat displays, please (or at least less curve)

The OnePlus 7 series introduced curved displays to the OnePlus portfolio. While people like the idea of curved displays, they do have some distinct disadvantages, such as accidental touches and sunlight glare. Thankfully, the OnePlus 8T dropped the curve entirely and went for a totally flat display.

It’s unclear if OnePlus would continue that with the OnePlus 9 series. It’s possible that the vanilla model could stick with a flat display while the Pro model could see some curves. If that’s the case, that will be fine, as long as the curves are subtle. We don’t need ski slopes on the sides of our phones. Reign it in and keep it classy and it will work. Or, conversely, just go all-flat across the board. That would be cool, too.

8. Better haptics

One of the biggest complaints about the OnePlus 7 Pro was it’s decidedly not-Pro-level haptics. When OnePlus launched the OnePlus 8 Pro, it revealed “Haptic Vibration 2.0,” which is supposedly better. If it is, it’s not by much.

Strong haptics is one of the easiest ways to feel the difference between a premium phone and a not-premium phone. OnePlus needs to up its game here for the OnePlus 9 series, at the very least on the OnePlus 9 Pro. If the vanilla model has the same haptics as the OnePlus 8 Pro, that will be OK, as long as the Pro model gets a serious upgrade.

9. Pricing stays the same

The prices of OnePlus phones have been a point of contention going all the way back to the launch of the OnePlus 2. That was the first time OnePlus raised pricing, and it has barely stopped doing so since. When the OnePlus 9 series lands, the COVID-19 pandemic will still be happening. Budgets will still be tight, many will still be out of work, and the last thing people are going to want to do is to spend too much on a smartphone.

The $699 price of the OnePlus 8 is a good range to stick with for the OnePlus 9. The OnePlus 9 Pro has more leeway — if OnePlus checked off every single one of these wishlist features, I would gladly pay over $1,000 for it. However, with affordable rivals like the Galaxy S20 FE and Pixel 5 around, this upcoming launch is probably the one in which keeping the pricing low is of the utmost importance.

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What do you want to see most from the OnePlus 9 series?

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