OnePlus has released some fantastic phones over the past few years that offer great value bringing flagship features and design to a more mid-range price point. However, the CEO of OnePlus has said that 5G phones will be substantially more expensive.
Speaking at the Qualcomm Snapdragon Tech Summit in Maui, Pete Lau has confirmed via The Verge that OnePlus is working on both 5G and 4G phones in parallel with the 5G enabled model costing up to $200-$300 more.
We were very impressed with the OnePlus 6 in our own review, and if you’re in the market for a fantastic mid-range handset then look no further than our best mid-range phone chart.
This may not be the standard across the industry however as certain manufacturers may lower the price on their 5G ready phones to try and get a larger part of the market, potentially making a loss on the handsets to generate more income in another area.
The prospect of building a 5G phone for different cellular carriers is also a challenge the industry must face, as Lau suggests that it will be that much harder to move a phone from carrier to carrier with 5G than it was with 4G. OnePlus reportedly hasn’t seen a solution to this issue as of yet, and it’s one that will face the 5G market around the world.
There will be two major types of 5G network that consumers will be exposed to. The millimetre wave version of 5G that is being rolled out in the US by AT&T and Verizon which focus on speed, while the “sub-6” spectrum used by EE will be much more widely available by operating at a slower pace.
If you’re confused about 5G and what exactly it all means (we wouldn’t blame you) then take a look at our quick guide to what exactly 5G is, and why it matters to you.