Is OnePlus going to unveil more than one phone in its next launch?

Leaks suggest the upcoming OnePlus 7 may have a Pro model

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Pictures circulating on Chinese social media show a purported OnePlus phone with a curved screen and no notch. They’re in line with previous rumors hinting that the new device will have a pop-up camera. (Picture: via Weibo)

Karen Chiu

Published: 7:21pm, 10 Apr 2019Updated: 9:01am, 20 Sep 2019

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

By now it’s customary for major smartphone makers to roll out multiple models with each product launch. Samsung’s latest Galaxy S10, for instance, has four variants, including a freshly released 5G device. Yet so far, OnePlus has been standing on the sidelines of this trend, instead opting for a mid-year refresh of its flagship handsets with a T appended to the name.

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That might be about to change, though, according to a leaked image appearing to show promotional material for the next OnePlus phone. You can see a “Pro” label right next to the OnePlus 7 name.

It’s been more than five months since the OnePlus 6T was released, and the internet is rife with speculation on what’s in store for the company’s next phone. In China, OnePlus slashed the price of the 6T by about US$60 this week, fuelling hopes that the OnePlus 7 is coming soon.

New purported images of the upcoming OnePlus handset have also surfaced on Weibo. Again, the name OnePlus 7 Pro appears in one of the images that list out the phone’s apparent specs, although the thumbnail still features a OnePlus 6T.

The pictures are in line with previous rumors hinting that OnePlus’ new phone will have a motorized selfie camera that pops up from the top, a feature already found in devices from sister companies Oppo and Vivo. This feature enables a notch-less design and tends to show up in pricier phones, making it a potential “pro” feature.

Some people also suggest the pro model may have 5G capability. The company already showed off a 5G smartphone prototype at the Mobile World Congress back in February. In an interview published in Qualcomm’s Weibo account, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau said his company will release a 5G phone in Europe in the second quarter this year.