OnePlus starts a very limited Nord test program in the US and Canada

The OnePlus Nord isn’t officially available in North America, but there is a way to try one — if you’re part of a very small testing group.

As promised, OnePlus is launching a Nord beta program that will give 50 people in the US and Canada a chance to test the new mid-range phone. If you sign up and are chosen (based on your writing and media skills), you’ll provide feedback and a review to help determine where the Nord line goes “in the future.” Some users will get to keep their phones, while others will have to return theirs after an unspecified period.

Applications are open until June 28 at 10:30PM Eastern. OnePlus will announce its selections on August 4, and the reviews will be published by August 31. You’ll know if you can keep your Nord by the end of August. You don’t have to be a OnePlus phone owner or participate in its forums, and that may even work to your advantage. The company is encouraging “original, creative, and unbiased” reviews that include performance comparisons with rival hardware.

Read more: OnePlus Nord hands-on: New beginnings feel familiar

This isn’t a giveaway. In addition to the feedback requirements and limited ownership, OnePlus warned that the phones are European models missing some LTE frequency bands on AT&T and T-Mobile. Your connection might drop to 3G or otherwise be flaky in certain parts of North America. OnePlus still wants people to review signal quality even with that in mind.

Still, this test could be particularly important. OnePlus previously said the Nord range could expand to the US with future models, and the input from the beta program will likely play an important role in shaping any future devices. What effort you put in as a tester could pay off for generations of phones to come.

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