The OnePlus 9 Pro could release in a new color option if a recent tease is to be believed.
The smartphone brand’s COO, Liu Fenshuo recently shared on the Chinese social media platform, Weibo, an image of the 2021 flagship device in a Silk White color option, with the caption “How about it? This color scheme is not bad, right?”
While an image share is not a confirmation that a new OnePlus 9 Pro color option is coming out, many speculate that it could be a good alternative to releasing a OnePlus 9T model. So far, no rumors or even murmurs of a mid-year refresh have surfaced outside of this image.
Meanwhile, the brand has put a lot of focus on its Nord brand of budget devices, releasing the OnePlus Nord CE 5G, the OnePlus Nord N200 5G, and the OnePlus Nord 2 5G in rapid succession for various global markets. Attempting to recapture some of the flagship killer aesthetic that made it popular, while marketing another flagship may prove counter-productive at this time.
Not the Right Time for OnePlus 9T?
OnePlus surely has future premium devices in its pipeline, but there are several reasons to forgo a OnePlus 9T upgrade. One reason is that the silicon and component squeeze remains alive and well, despite companies attempting to pretend otherwise. Devices are being teased months before their actual announcements and announced months rather than weeks before their actual consumer availability is a big indicator of that fact.
Axing a OnePlus 9T upgrade would also ease the brand from a price increase for a least another six months during a time when it is likely trying to readjust its price structure. While we may be in the super-premium era, rapidly increasing pricing is still something consumers have noticed and complained about. The current state of affairs has been somewhat of a clean slate for many brands to regroup and rethink their strategies.
OnePlus 9 Pro Strategy
The OnePlus 9 Pro launched in late March in Morning Mist, Pine Green, and Stellar Black color options. While unique color options have been on trend for some time, standard colors, such as black and white remain tried and true as consumer favorites. The Silk White is said to have a matte finish, otherwise, would have no other specs or feature upgrades.
Features on the OnePlus 9 Pro include a 6.7-inch Quad HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip, 12GB of RAM, 128GB or 256GB internal storage options, 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast charging, and 50W fast wireless charging, as well as Android 11 with an Oxygen OS overlay.
OnePlus collaborated with Hasselblad on the quad-camera setup for the OnePlus 9 Pro, which includes a 48-megapixel main lens, 8-megapixel telephoto lens, 50-megapixel ultrawide lens, and 2-megapixel monochrome lens, in addition to a 16-megapixel front-facing lens.
