OnePlus' 5G smartphone will not be the OnePlus 7

OnePlus already confirmed that it would release a 5G-capable smartphone in 2019, but it has said very little else since that announcement. That changed this weekend, when a OnePlus spokesperson spoke with CNET  about the company’s upcoming 5G smartphone.

For starters, OnePlus revealed that its 5G smartphone will be available in early 2019. Earlier reports already pegged that 5G smartphones would debut in early 2019, so such a release window for OnePlus’ offering makes sense. Perhaps an announcement during February 2019’s Mobile World Congress is in the cards?

Interestingly, OnePlus also revealed that its 5G smartphone would be separate from the eventual OnePlus 6T successor and that the OnePlus 6T successor will not feature 5G. The company said its 5G smartphone will kick off a new line of smartphones for the company, one that will look to compliment its portfolio of devices.

The idea is that OnePlus would not be able to sell a 5G smartphone without some sort of price hike. The company’s smartphones have been known to sell for significantly less than competing flagships and are given the “flagship killer” moniker with each release. As such, a separate line of 5G smartphones would allow OnePlus to maintain its affordable status quo.

What this means for the “regular” line of OnePlus smartphones is anyone’s guess at this point. We do not know if this means that OnePlus will reserve certain high-end features for its 5G smartphone line or if the feature gap between the 5G smartphone line and “regular” line will remain slim.

OnePlus would not even confirm the OnePlus 7 name, so perhaps the company is trying to figure things out on its end. Either way, we will keep close tabs on developments in the coming months.