Sprint’s fourth 5G device will be a smartphone from OnePlus, the carrier announced today, but it has been quiet on the product’s name, price, and release date. It will follow the Galaxy S10 5G, the HTC 5G Hub, and the LG V50 ThinQ.
OnePlus, known for its powerful, flagship phones sold at upper midrange prices, already has a 5G smartphone in select countries such as the U.K. — the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G.
It’s unclear if this is the phone that will make its way to Sprint; a OnePlus spokesperson said all questions should be directed to Sprint, and a Sprint spokesperson told Digital Trends the carrier is “not commenting beyond the release at this time.”
OnePlus typically releases two smartphones per year. The OnePlus 7 Pro landed in the U.S. in May, and a T-variant of the phone is expected for the fall. For example, last year we saw the OnePlus 6 early in the year and then the OnePlus 6T.
While the OnePlus 7 Pro in the U.S. does not feature 5G connectivity, the device rumored for the fall — potentially named the OnePlus 7T — is expected to add the feature. There’s a good chance the upcoming Sprint and OnePlus phone could be this device, especially considering the details are being kept under wraps.
Sprint’s 5G service is only available in select areas of Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Kansas City, Missouri. The carrier is planning on expanding coverage to areas of New York, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
Sprint is using midband spectrum in its 5G rollout, which means you’ll see speeds ranging from 300 to 500Mbps (more or less), but its range is greater than millimeter wave spectrum used by AT&T and Verizon. We tested its network speeds in Dallas on the V50 ThinQ, and you can read our thoughts on Sprint’s 5G network here.
Whatever the device ends up being, you likely won’t be able to use it on any other carrier than Sprint. That’s because 5G phones are locked down to carriers at the moment, so if you transfer from Sprint to Verizon, for example, you’ll need to buy a new 5G phone.
