OnePlus may have a new Nord brand smartphone on the market before the end of the year if rumors are to be believed. A recent report by Android Central suggests that the Chinese manufacturer will release a new device called the OnePlus Nord N10 5G, which will have U.S. availability.
The device is expected to sell for under $400, much cheaper OnePlus’s most recent U.S. launches. The OnePlus 8 Pro, for example, released in April, starting at $899. However, the OnePlus Nord N10 5G is expected to have a number of cost-cutting features, including a Snapdragon 690 chip, Qualcomm’s first 5G chip for its 600-series SoCs.
Other features may include a 6.49-inch FHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, OnePlus’ highest to date, as well as 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage for the base model of this device. A quad-camera set-up may include the introduction of a 64-megapixel main lens to accompany an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens, and two additional 2-megapixel lenses.
If rumors are accurate, the OnePlus Nord N10 5G would quickly follow the inaugural OnePlus Nord, which launched in July for €399. The device stood out for two reasons, its affordable price, especially for a 5G product, and its primary availability in Europe and India. The Nord notably does not have the key mobile bands that would allow the Nord to work optimally on U.S. carriers.
This surprised many at the time, seeing as OnePlus has spent a considerable amount of time building its brand in the U.S. However, OnePlus quickly teased that U.S. availability for the Nord was possible, noting the device was just the first of a new series for the brand and also opening a beta program for North American fans to test out the Nord.
It will be interesting to see whether the OnePlus Nord N10 5G might be some sort of U.S. exclusive device or if it will release to other markets as well. The device is just one of several new OnePlus models slated for before the end of the year. Rumors for the OnePlus 8T have recently begun to pick up. There is also word of a $200 entry-level device set to launch before 2020 comes to a close.
