OnePlus is set to launch three new devices later this month, including a lite version of the OnePlus Nord CE 2, a pair of Nord-branded TWS earbuds, and a new flagship killer — the OnePlus 10R. Although the OnePlus 10R has been leaked on multiple instances in the recent past, an unwitting expose by Amazon gives us a clearer understanding of what the phone will actually look like.
An image of the OnePlus 10R was spotted by Twitter user @rudransh116, who found Amazon India running Instagram ads with this image. This was most likely a mess up on Amazon’s part, which was running ads with a caption referring to the unreleased phone in the picture as OnePlus Nord 2. Based on previous leaks, the phone is the upcoming OnePlus 10R, which has been rumored to be a rebranded version of the Realme GT Neo 3.
In the image shared by Amazon, the purported OnePlus 10R can be seen sporting a dual-pattern back having a serrated pattern on one half and a plane surface on the other. There is a triple camera setup on the top left corner.
OnePlus 10R is a rebadged Ace
This design also coincides with another leak shared earlier today on Weibo by a user whose username is translated by Google as @Panda is bald. The image shared by the Chinese tipster is of the upcoming OnePlus Ace, which is what the OnePlus 10R will be launched as in China. The picture shows the top half of the phone in two color variants — a black similar to the image we see above and another light blue variant with a gradient.
XDA, which has exclusive information about the two devices, assures OnePlus 10R is exclusive to India while the OnePlus Ace will launch in China. The latter also surfaced recently as the first OnePlus phone to support 150-watt fast charging. Unlike the Ace, however, the OnePlus 10R is rumored to be limited to 120-watt fast charging. But besides different charging speeds, the two phones are identical.
The publication notes the phones will come in three color options: Sierra Black, Green, and Arctic Glow. Sierra Black is probably the exact shade we see in the Amazon ad above and is expected to be sold in India as well as China. The Arctic Glow — seemingly the blue variant of the OnePlus Ace — will be limited to China, while Green will arrive later, and its availability is not confirmed yet.
First OnePlus flagship killer with MediaTek chip
Other rumored specifications of the OnePlus 10R include a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, up to 12GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage. The triple rear camera includes a 50MP primary wide-angle camera relying on a Sony IMX766 sensor alongside an 8MP ultrawide-angle camera and a 2MP sensor for macro photography. The smartphone is also confirmed, as per XDA, to feature a MediaTek Dimensity 8100, making it the first OnePlus flagship killer (lagging behind a true flagship such as the OnePlus 10 Pro) to sport a MediaTek chip.
OnePlus has undergone a significant change since it merged back into Oppo last year. Although the former’s singular identity is preserved through compelling phones like the OnePlus 10 Pro, the company has been reallocating more resources to non-flagship devices. The brand is expected to be pushing hard on its Nord lineup and release several products under the sub-brand in the coming months. Meanwhile, as OnePlus’s paramount numeric series (such as the OnePlus 10 Pro) is drifting further into the category of flagship devices, the company is filling the gap with phones like the purported OnePlus 10R to retain its identity as the flagship killer brand.
OnePlus 10R marks many firsts for the brand
Despite trying to maintain its performance-centric identity, however, OnePlus is bringing about a paradigm shift with three major changes to the lineup. First, the OnePlus 10R will be the first phone since the OnePlus One to be rebranded from a sister company’s offering. Second, the OnePlus 10R is reported to lack the alert slider, which has become a symbol of the brand’s individuality. And third, this is the first time a OnePlus flagship killer will use a MediaTek chipset. This isn’t a bad thing, as MediaTek chips have matured significantly. However, it will still have to strive hard to convince the cadre of those who never settle about its deviance from the traditional choice of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon.
