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A little earlier than its usual June refresh window, OnePlus has revealed its new flagship Android device today, the OnePlus 6. The most controversial aspect of the new design, the notch at the top of the 6.3-inch 19:9 OLED display, has already been the subject of a preemptive rationalization from the company, and fan demands have been answered with the added option to conceal the notch by putting a black bar on the screen around it.
Though beloved by few, the notched design does have a significant upside in helping OnePlus fit a lot more screen into basically the same dimensions as its previous OnePlus 5T and 5 models. The OnePlus 6 is a little smaller than my 6-inch Google Pixel 2 XL, but it offers more vertical screen space and makes the Pixel’s bezels feel crude and chunky by comparison. It’s not that the 6 lacks bezels; they just happen to be minimal and nicely designed. OnePlus’ interface is well-tailored to the notch, and the company has tested the top 1,000 Play Store apps to ensure they play nicely with it. Whether or not the notch is to your liking, you can’t accuse OnePlus of moving to it without sufficient forethought.
The other big change with the OnePlus 6 is the introduction of a new glass back, replacing the unibody aluminum case that’s been the norm for OnePlus for a number of years. The company’s press release says that this is “the first in OnePlus’ line of flagships to feature an all-glass design,” suggesting that the metal backs of the past are going to stay in the past. With this alteration, OnePlus joins the vast majority of smartphone manufacturers — companies like Apple, Samsung, Sony, Nokia, LG, and Huawei — in having glass on both the front and the back of its flagship device. I’ve been told by a number of these companies that the general trend has been driven by the requirements of faster and more advanced LTE, making it increasingly difficult to produce a phone with a metal back.
Although the OnePlus 6, replete with a notch and a glass back, now blends into the mass of Android phones out there, it does stand out with a number of its own unique strengths.
Firstly, the software is clean, thoughtfully designed, and unfailingly fast. The OnePlus 6 was among the first Android phones to support the Android P beta, even before it was officially announced. OnePlus says that it’s committed to heeding and responding to its fans’ wishes, and its eagerness to deliver updates as soon as possible is a testament to that.
The other thing, the one that matters a great deal more than it’s discussed on pages like these, is the price. Starting at $529 with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, the OnePlus 6 is once again a little more expensive than its predecessor, but also a lot less pricey than the typical Android flagship. It’ll be compared to phones like the Galaxy S9 and Huawei P20 Pro, both of which cost hundreds of dollars more, but it’s priced right in line with the Honor 10. I think the OnePlus 6 has the quality of design, materials, and display to be held right up alongside the best Android phones on the market.
Where I remain dubious with OnePlus is on the camera front, though the company’s made positive strides by increasing the main sensor size of its dual-camera system by 19 percent (for a pixel size of 1.22μm). Optical image stabilization has been added to both rear cameras, and you can now shoot faux-bokeh portrait mode pictures with the front as well as the rear cameras. OnePlus is getting into the algorithmically reprocessed photo game by offering the option to turn the bokeh in a photo into various shapes like hearts and stars. I’ve seen a demo of that, and, well, I guess I’m too old to appreciate its value.
Not many other things are different about the OnePlus 6. The signature OnePlus alert slider moves from one side of the phone to the other, which the company tells me was a simple matter of space considerations with the new phone’s layout. The headphone jack remains in place, though, and OnePlus says it has no plans to remove it anytime soon. I would have liked to see OnePlus add wireless charging with its shift to a glass back, but that hasn’t happened, and neither has the addition of waterproof certification. OnePlus argues that the 6 has comparable water resistance to most modern flagships, and it was tested extensively for that, but I’d still feel more reassured by having it adhere to the same universal standard as everyone else.
Marketed under the slogan of “the speed you need,” the OnePlus 6 comes with a Snapdragon 845 processor, Adreno 630 graphics, and up to 8GB of RAM and a maximum of 256GB of UFS 2.1 storage. On one hand, it’s great that OnePlus can cram the latest and best specs inside a phone that retains a distinct midrange price (by 2018 standards). On the other hand, I’m not convinced that OnePlus can actually use that fact to make its device stand out. The comparably priced Honor 10 also has a flagship processor inside, Huawei’s Kirin 970, and it also offers a smooth and responsive experience. The rest of the OnePlus 6 specs are fairly predictable: 2280 x 1080 resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 up front, 3,300mAh battery, Bluetooth 5, support for two nano-SIM cards, and Dash Charge fast charging.
The one trend that OnePlus isn’t entertaining with its new flagship (at least not yet) is offering a diversity of color options. You’ll be able to buy the OnePlus 6 in either a glossy or matte black or a shimmery white variant. These colors correspond to particular specs: the mirror (i.e., glossy) black covers the $529 6GB / 64GB and $579 8GB / 128GB OnePlus 6, the silk white and the so-called midnight black will be at the $579 price point and spec, and there’ll be a $629 8GB / 256GB midnight black model as well.
All variants of the OnePlus 6 go on sale May 22nd directly from OnePlus’ online store in North America, India, and across Europe. The European and UK pricing is less attractive than the US’s, with prices starting at €519 / £469 for 64GB of storage, going through €569 / £519 for 128GB, and maxing out at €619 / £569 for 256GB.
The OnePlus 6 has been announced at its international launch event in London, England.
Boasting the biggest screen OnePlus has ever put on a phone, a display notch, Snapdragon 845 chipset and new glass design it's poised to play with the big names in the flagship market.
The launch event is happening right now and we're reporting from it live, updating this page with everything you need to know about the OnePlus 6 as it's unveiled on stage.
Read our in-depth hands on: OnePlus 6 review
Cut to the chase
What is it? The new numbered flagship from OnePlus
The new numbered flagship from OnePlus When is it out? May 22
May 22 What will it cost? Starts at $529 (£469)
What our OnePlus 6 hands on video below
The OnePlus 6 release date is May 22 for the Midnight Black and Mirror Black, but OnePlus has announced a series of pop-up events across the US, Europe, India and China on May 21 where you'll be able to buy the handset for the first time.
Meanwhile the limited edition Silk White goes on sale on June 5.
In the UK, the OnePlus 6 will also be available from O2, with a range of tariffs on offer. It means you don't have to shell out the full price of the handset up front. You can pre-order from the networl now, with stock arriving on May 22.
OnePlus 6 price
The OnePlus 6 price starts at $529 (£469) for the 64GB/6GB configuration, which is more expensive that the OnePlus 5T, which started at $499 (£449) for the same RAM and storage.
Then you have the 8GB/128GB variant with a price of $579 (£519), which again is a $20 (£20) increase over the 5T.
Finally, there's the top end 8GB/256GB model which officially takes the title of the most expensive OnePlus smartphone ever. This OnePlus 6 price for this configuration is $629 (£569).
OnePlus 6 design and display
The OnePlus 6 boasts the biggest screen ever found on a OnePlus handset, and it's also the first phone from the firm to feature a notch at the top of the display.
The screen is 6.28 inches in size, with a 19:9 aspect ratio, and it's covered in protective Gorilla Glass 5.
OnePlus has kept the headphone jack for the OnePlus 6, and it's also made the handset more water resistant over (vs its previous handsets).
Both the front and the back of the OnePlus 6 is covered in Gorilla Glass 5 - a first for the firm's flagship line of smartphones.
The alert slider has moved to the right of the phone, above the power/lock key, with the SIM tray moving to the right, above the volume rocker.
The OnePlus 6 will be available in the reflective Mirror Black, matte Midnight Black and striking Silk White. OnePlus says it's worked the glass to feel like ceramic.
OnePlus 6 camera and battery
The OnePlus 6 comes with dual rear cameras, the main camera is 16MP and the secondary snapper is 20MP. Both sensors are made by Sony and feature both OIS and EIS.
OnePlus has increased the size of the 16MP sensor by 19% (vs 5T), allowing more light in, and reducing the level of noise in low light shots.
The rear camera can now shot up to a minute of slow motion footage at a time, at 480fps in a 720p resolution.
Portrait mode returns on the OnePlus 6, but it's now faster and in the coming weeks a software update will be issued that brings the feature to the front facing camera as well.
The handset also feature's Dash Charge, giving the OnePlus 6 'a day's power in half an hour.' The battery size remains the same as the OnePlus 5 and 5T though, at 3,300mAh.
OnePlus 6 biometrics
The OnePlus 6 has two forms of biometric security. First up is the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, which is now a smaller oval shape, rather than the circle on its predecessor.
Secondly, face unlock is included, allowing you to unlock the phone hands free. OnePlus says face unlock takes 0.4 seconds to recognize you and allow you access to the handset, while the fingerprint scanner is quicker at 0.2 seconds.
OnePlus 6 power and storage
The OnePlus 6 packs in a Snapdragon 845 chipset, the flagship power unit from chip maker Qualcomm, ensuring there's plenty of power under the hood.
It arrives running Android 8 Oreo (with Oxygen OS 5.1 on top), but for the more adventurous among you, the OnePlus 6 also supports the new Android P Beta from Google.
This gives you a sneak peak at new features that'll arrive on the Android platform later this year, but be warned, the P Beta is likely to be full of bugs.
There will be 6GB and 8GB of RAM combinations, and three storage options to choose from, with 64GB, 128GB and 256GB available.
OnePlus 6 first look: A huge visual improvement
In a mere four years OnePlus has gone from an unknown Chinese startup to one of the best phone makers around. Its pairing of high-end features and specs with a lower-than-average price initially caught the eye of the tech obsessed, but it’s no longer just for those who lurk on the seriously active OnePlus forums.
OnePlus 6 release date
The OnePlus 6 will be available online to order from May 22.
OnePlus 6 price
Pricing for the OnePlus 6 will start at £469 in the UK, €519 in Europe and $529 in the US.
Related: Best smartphones
The OnePlus 6 is the most mainstream device from the company yet. It’s the first to get a proper launch in London – at the Olympic Park, no less – and also the first to really feel like a phone that should have Samsung with its Galaxy S9 and Apple with its iPhone X at least slightly worried.
This isn’t simply a rebadged Oppo device in the way of the OnePlus 5 and 5T, but a thoughtfully designed handset that should really be taken seriously.
OnePlus 6 design – A mighty step-forward
Much of what makes the OnePlus 6 feel extra special is the completely new build and design. It’s now made almost completely of glass, which curves around the rear and feels fantastic in the hand.
There’s a highly polished black version that’s gorgeous but quite the fingerprint magnet, a more conservative Midnight Black matte model and a stunning White and pinky gold variation that sadly won’t arrive until after launch. OnePlus told me the latter hue was made with powdered pearl dust, and while that sounds like the beginnings of a mythical witch’s brew, it does give the phone an jewel-like finish.
There’s been a switch-up in other classic OnePlus design aspects to. The alert slide is still present, but it sits on the opposite side; and the fingerprint sensor is now an oblong shape, perched beneath the centrally positioned dual cameras.
Despite being heavily rumoured in the run up to launch, the OnePlus 6 doesn’t hold an IP-rating for water-resistance. However, the company has said that while the device holds no official rating, much work has been done to improve its protection against water. These come by way of extra seals around the ports and between the screen.
I’m still slightly confused by this. Maybe the company is trying to save some cash by not officially garnering an IP rating; similar to the way it previously lacked the necessary codecs to play HD content from Netflix and Amazon. The bottom line is that despite the lack of IP rating, OnePlus appears confident that if you leave your phone in the bathroom while you’re having a shower or the device is caught out in the rain, then it will be fine.
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The launch of the 5T in late 2017 appeared to be OnePlus’ quick response to the trend of the time of reducing the bezel and stretching out the display. With the OnePlus 6, the company jumps on another: notches.
The small cut-out at the top of the 6.1-inch display is fine, but I still can’t fathom the reason it’s here. There isn’t anything special going on inside the notch – just a regular 16-megapixel sensor, speaker and LED – and it simply feels like a device trying to imitate the iPhone X. It’s likely that most flagship phones in 2018 will sport a notch, but I still don’t really know why.
Related: Best Android phones
Thankfully, the display itself is excellent, and if you really despise the notch then there’s a software update that will enable you to cover it up. The 2280 x 1080 (FHD+) OLED panel is bright, sharp and very colourful.
OnePlus 6 specs: All of the specs, all of the power
Screen 6.2-inch, 2280 x 1080, Optic AMOLED CPU Snapdragon 845 RAM 6/8GB Storage 64/128/256GB UFS 2.1 Rear camera Main 16-megapixel Sony sensor f/1.7; 20-megapixel secondary sensor. Portrait mode. 480fps 720p slo-mo for a minute. 19% bigger pixels in the main sensor over the 5T Front camera 16-megapixel sensor with portrait mode Battery 3300mAh, USB-C, Dash Charge – 30-minute for a day of use, no Qi charging OS Android Oreo 8.1 with Oxygen OS skin Features Dual-SIM, 1.2Gbps download speeds, headphone jack
OnePlus has always jammed top-end specs inside its phones, and as you can see from the table above, nothing changes here. A Snapdragon 845 powers the OnePlus 6, alongside 6GB or 8GB of RAM and the option of 256GB of storage. The option of 8GB of RAM feels odd, with its inclusion likely because OnePlus can put it there. It’s a status symbol, rather like the storage offering of 256GB.
Hopefully a more worthwhile update will be to the camera. While the main sensor remains 16 megapixels with an f/1.7 aperture, importantly it now features 19% bigger pixels over the 5T to let more light in, plus optical image stabilisation (OIS).
There’s a 20-megapixel secondary sensor, too, with portrait mode and OIS. Instead of adding in 960fps slow-motion video such as the Sony Xperia XZ2 and Samsung Galaxy S9, the OnePlus can shoot a full minute of 480fps slow-mo at 720p. I can’t yet vouch for the quality of the footage, but I can say that so far I’ve been disappointed with super slow-mo captured on other phones.
The 16-megapixel front-facing camera remains the same spec as before. There are some new software tweaks, however, and OnePlus said it has worked with Qualcomm to add in a portrait mode here. Again, you’ll have to wait for the full review – which is coming very soon – to see exactly how all aspects of the camera perform.
Like the prospect of an IP rating, there were many rumours before launch that the OnePlus 6 would be the first in the series to enable wireless charging. Considering there’s now a glass rear, and wireless charging is becoming more common, its addition felt obvious. Sadly, this isn’t the case. I was told the decision to leave it out came down to cost, and the fact that Dash Charge is quicker. Nevertheless, it’s a feature I’ve come to appreciate for quick top-ups at my desk, so I see its omission as a shame.
It’s a good thing that Dash Charge is pretty swift, mind. The charging method hasn’t changed much here and you’ll still get what OnePlus calls ‘a day of use’ from 30 minutes of charging.
OnePlus is one of the few manufacturers that doesn’t diminish Android with its own customisations. Oxygen OS retains the look of vanilla Android, adding only extras that I think improve on Google’s operating system. Customisation is available with icon packs, a system-wide dark mode, face unlock and plenty more little touches that make for a great experience. You can also ditch the on-screen navigation buttons and use a bunch of swipes to get yourself around – much like the iPhone X.
First impressions
So far, OnePlus handsets have impressed with every iteration, and the OnePlus 6 feels, comfortably, the nicest entry yet. It’s a step above previous models in terms of design, and I hope that it will prove to be a step above in other areas too. The camera, especially, has been a disappointment in the past, so it will be interesting to see if the addition of OIS really makes a difference here.
The price will also be a big factor in how well this device performs. Previous OnePlus phones have been heavy on the affordability factor, but I think it’s slightly different this time around. The OnePlus 6 is the most expensive in the series to date and that price increases further on bumping up the storage. The lack of Qi wireless charging and an official waterproof rating are a shame, and really the only two obvious omissions here.
