OnePlus CEO: OnePlus 3 feels good to hold

One of the secrets behind the success of OnePlus’ mobile strategy in its short history is the company’s own approach to leaking and teasing its new products before they’re announced. With another flagship due later this quarter, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has taken to Weibo to proclaim that the OnePlus 3 ‘feels good to hold’ in the hand.

This isn’t the first time that OnePlus’ senior management have teased its upcoming smartphone, as co-founder Carl Pei earlier revealed the handset will sport an all-new design. Both of these teasers combined suggest a redesigned handset that should aim to address user concerns about the OnePlus 2 being bulky and heavy in the hand. The render below was posted by notorious leakster evleaks a few days ago and corroborates the leaked OnePlus 3 pictures from a few days ago.

So far the leaks have suggested we’ll see two variants of the OnePlus 3; one will offer 4GB RAM and 32GB storage for an estimated price of $310, while a premium model will sport 64GB storage and 6GB RAM at a higher cost of approximately $385. It’s likely to be powered by a Snapdragon 820 processor but for those hoping OnePlus will make the bump up to QHD resolution, the screen looks set to be a 5.5-inch panel, albeit of the AMOLED variety.

[related_videos align=”left” type=”custom” videos=”671542,658390,656620,637478,635443,633089″]Other likely specs include a 3000mAh battery with Quick Charging, an 8MP selfie camera and a 16MP rear camera. Given the furore over the lack of NFC in the OnePlus 2, and previous conversations we’ve had with OnePlus, it’s more than likely the OnePlus 3 will support NFC.

Carl Pei also said that the OnePlus 3 will captivate users just like the OnePlus One did and will be sold directly to consumers in the US. For those hoping the dreaded invite system will finally be abolished, the company has promised to come up a “better buying process”. Whether this means no invites remains to be seen however. The company will also be accepting credit card payments (as opposed to just PayPal right now) and will offer free shipping on all orders, although this latter offer may be limited to selected markets.

Are you excited by the OnePlus 3 and do you plan to buy one? Let us know your views in the comments below!