KEY POINTS

  • OnePlus may unveil the OnePlus 8 Lite
  • OnePlus 8 Lite may only be available in China
  • OnePlus 8 Lite specs likely a tad lower than regular OnePlus 8

It was only recently when OnePlus lifted the covers on its OnePlus 8 series but not all may have come out in the open. Released a couple of days ago where the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro. What makes these devices appealing is that they are priced at a pretty reasonable range. The vanilla OnePlus 8 will be priced starting at $700 while the Pro model will retail for $999.

However, another event is set for Apr. 17 and the mystery phone has sent OnePlus loyalists thinking. Some are speculating it to be the OnePlus 8 Lite or the OnePlus Z although there seems to be a catch. It will be announced in China and some are now guessing that it could be a phone that may be made available only in the country if this Weibo post is to be analyzed.

If that is the case, it may hardly come as a surprise. With the COVID-19 pandemic plaguing the world, mobile phone production is likely hampered, meaning supplies are not at their optimum level. If the mystery phone is indeed the OnePlus Z, then only the Chinese consumers will get the device exclusively.

For those who may not know, the OnePlus Z will run on a MediaTek Dimensity 1000 chipset and will tote a 6.4-inch 90 Hz touchscreen display. Other rumored specs for the OnePlus 8 Lite, include a 4,000 mAh non-removable battery (with support for fast-charging) and the usual connectivity options such as WiFi, Bluetooth, Lightning and USB Type-C. RAM and ROM features have yet to be divulged, same with the front and rear cameras it will come with. The device will have OxygenOS based on Android on board, NDTV reported.

For reference purposes, the OnePlus 8 did come out with a trio of cameras. That included a 48 MP, a 2 MP macro lens and a 16 MP ultra-wide lens. The OnePlus 8 Lite may have a slight adjustment, meaning it could be down to just two cameras or even one.

That is about all the rumors tied up to the OnePlus 8 Lite has to show but the wait for the official ones should be known in a couple of hours. But again, the reality of it all is that this is one device that may not be available outside China unless the company alters its plans moving forward.

OnePlus
OnePlus 6T owners complaining about wave of static on teh display. MONEY SHARMA/AFP/Getty Images