POCO teases a new phone to take on OnePlus Nord (Update)

Update: August 21, 2020 (1:50 AM ET): The upcoming device from Xiaomi sub-brand POCO may feature a 120Hz refresh rate display, according to an apparently deleted tweet. Tipster Abhishek Yadav allegedly spotted the tweet, which has since been acknowledged by the official POCO team.

Of course, take this interaction with a pinch of salt. It doesn’t confirm anything, and it would be brilliant if we saw the deleted tweet ourselves. Nevertheless, POCO did confirm that the device will embrace the high refresh rate movement.

Considering the brand is setting up this device as a OnePlus Nord killer, it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine it would target the phone’s 90Hz display. The POCO X2 proved that 120Hz can be implemented on a budget, too.

Original article: August 4, 2020 (9:12 AM ET): The POCO sub-brand has released a number of phones in 2020, packing plenty of value for money even if they’re all rebranded Redmi phones. Now, it looks like the Xiaomi brand is getting ready to release yet another phone.

A POCO executive tweeted confirmation of a new POCO phone earlier today, with the hashtag “#POCOcomingsoon.” Check out the tweet below.

There’s no word on any other details such as specifications, pricing, or availability, but the tweet certainly suggests that we’re looking at a phone to rival OnePlus’s recent mid-ranger.

The OnePlus Nord served up 5G, a 90Hz OLED screen, a Snapdragon 765G processor, and a total of six cameras (two up-front and four on the rear). So it stands to reason that a POCO phone designed to compete with the Nord would pack a few similar specs too, such as 5G.

Given POCO’s penchant for rebranding Redmi phones, we’d put our money on the new POCO phone being a rebranded Redmi 10X series handset. The 10X series packs an upper mid-range Dimensity 820 processor, 4,520mAh batteries, and triple or quad rear cameras. But it’s entirely possible that they’re looking at rebranding another device or building a phone from scratch.

This isn’t the only POCO device we’re expecting in 2020, as it certification listings point to the pending availability of a POCO C3 as well. Furthermore, the device is shaping up to be a rebranded Redmi 9C — not quite a Nord rival then.

Next: Can phone-makers dial the rebranding down a bit?