Qualcomm Teases New OnePlus Device Will Be Powered By Snapdragon 821 Processor

Chinese phone maker OnePlus might be keeping quiet about its new Android smartphone, but it looks like somebody else isn’t. Chip maker Qualcomm recently revealed that its new processor is going to power a new OnePlus device believed to be the OnePlus 3T

Qualcomm made the announcement on Twitter that “something new from @OnePlus is on the way,” adding that its Snapdragon 821 processor will be powering the handset. Snapdragon 821 is the same chipset found in Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones.

It’s widely believed that Qualcomm is referring to the much-rumored OnePlus 3T, the upgraded version of the OnePlus 3, which was released earlier this year. Originally known as the OnePlus 3S, the 3T is said to launch before the end of 2016. IBT reported yesterday that OnePlus is planning on officially revealing the handset on Nov. 14, next Monday.

The general consensus on the OnePlus 3T is that its main difference form its predecessor will be its processor. The current OnePlus 3 is powered by the Snapdragon 820. With the Snapdragon 821, the OnePlus 3T would be able to support Google’s new virtual reality platform on Android called Daydream VR, as pointed out by Android Authority.

Last month, a OnePlus device carrying the model number A3010 passed through the CNCA, the product regulator of China. This quickly generated a lot of speculations considering that the OnePlus 3 carried the model number A3000. With the OnePlus 3T carrying a slightly different model number, it has led many to believe that the handset would only be a minor upgrade from the original OnePlus 3. This means that customers shouldn’t expect any radical exterior design changes.

The OnePlus 3T is also believed to come with Sony’s 20-megapixel IMX395 sensor with a camera lens aperture of f/1.7. This is a slight upgrade from the OnePlus 3’s f/2.0 camera aperture. Other rumored specs for the 3T include a larger 3,300 mAh battery, 6GB of RAM, a 5.5-inch full HD 1080p display and, possibly, Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

Releasing an upgraded version of the OnePlus 3 around the holidays is seen as a smart move from OnePlus. It would set itself up for a major redesign/upgrade for the OnePlus 4 next year while also taking advantage of the hole left by the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, as pointed out by BGR.