2020 has begun, and that means a bevy of new phones are on the horizon. While much attention is currently on the new Samsung Galaxy S flagship, don’t forget about the flagship killer. This year OnePlus is rumored to be releasing a trio of new flagship phones under the OnePlus 8 banner. Of the three, the OnePlus 8 Lite is expected to be the cheapest of the three — and a Chinese video has given us a good look at what’s alleged to be the OnePlus 8 Lite with a triple-lens camera array.
The video, hosted on Chinese video site Bilibili, shows four men — including OnePlus CEO Pete Lau — seemingly discussing a number of OnePlus’s phones, contained in a clear plastic box. However, squished at the front of the box is an unfamiliar looking phone, and it has been suggested by many this is the upcoming OnePlus 8 Lite. According to what we can see in the video, the OnePlus 8 Lite is expected to be a fairly tall phone, with a triple-lens rear camera module, arranged vertically down the right-hand side of the phone. More angled shots of the camera module show an extremely significant camera bump that could prove to be a downside for the final release. It’s unlikely the phone next to the alleged OnePlus 8 Lite shows the front of the same phone, as we expect a punch-hole display on the 8 Lite.
This design flies in the face of previous leaks, and notable leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer revised his previous renders to include the triple-lens camera. While it’s usually worth standing by the renders of leakers like Hemmerstoffer, the fact that Pete Lau stars in the video lends a massive amount of validity to the newly revealed design.
Of course, it’s extremely unlikely this was mistakenly leaked in any way. It’s probable that the phone in the video is a dummy unit of a OnePlus 8 Lite prototype, and was included in the video just to spark discussion and build hype for the upcoming phone range. With so much of the spotlight on Samsung’s new phones and CES 2020, such a bold move would be required to bring press attention back.
Details about the OnePlus 8 Lite are fairly slim at the moment. It is expected to be a midrange alternative to OnePlus’s usual super-midrange offerings, with a lower price to match. However, details on price and specs are unknown, though it’s fair to expect OnePlus to continue its tradition of cramming the most recent flagship specs into a lower-priced bundle. While the two higher-priced models are likely to have more special features, the OnePlus 8 Lite could be the phone to buy if you love a bargain.
