OnePlus CEO loves glass back of OnePlus 6

Pete Lau, the CEO of OnePlus, really likes the design of the OnePlus 6. He likes it so much, that he wrote an 1,100-word “deep dive” into the device on the OnePlus forum, focusing mostly on the fact that it has a glass back (which is our first confirmation of that design attribute).

Although Lau doesn’t specifically say so, the purple hue of the image supplied with the post (reprinted above) suggests more color options for the OnePlus 6 than previous models. However, that can’t be confirmed entirely based off only one photo.

Other than the fact that the OnePlus 6 has a glass back, we don’t learn too much information about the new smartphone from Lau’s post. Instead, we learn more about how OnePlus designs its phones and what kind of research and testing goes into those designs.

He tells a story about how he met a guy who loved the sandstone back of the OnePlus One and hoped that the then-upcoming OnePlus 3 would have the same design. Lau pulled a OnePlus 3 prototype from his pocket, which had a smooth back, and handed it to the fan and asked if he still wanted the sandstone back. The fan replied that he liked the prototype back a lot.

So, if you were disappointed with the removal of the sandstone back design, I suppose you have that guy to thank.

Lau also discusses how important the “sense of value” and “premium hand-feel” of a smartphone design are what’s most important to him. In his design testing, he often carries around numerous prototypes, trying to develop some sort of emotional connection with the phone. Usually, he says, the phone that still resonates with him months later ends up being the blueprint for the final design.

For the glass back of the OnePlus 6, the OnePlus design team went through over 70 different prototypes before selecting the best one that will adorn the OnePlus 6. The last OnePlus phone to have a glass back was the much-loved OnePlus X, so the choice to have a glass back will likely be more eagerly accepted than the decision to have a display notch.

Lau promises that the OnePlus 6 will meet the highest standards of OnePlus fans and that the glass back will communicate a “transparent, bright, and pure feeling.” Since it’s expected that the OnePlus 6 will be the first phone from the company to break the $500 entry price point, it’d sure better make its owners feel awesome.

You can read Lau’s full forum post here.

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