OnePlus 8T leak reveals end of an era for OnePlus

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OnePlus 8T could be the first OnePlus flagship in years that won't have a Pro model

OnePlus 8
(Image credit: OnePlus)

When it debuts later this year, the OnePlus 8T could stand alone. A new rumor suggests there won't be a OnePlus 8T Pro to go with this flagship phone.

This OnePlus 8T rumor is based on a post by Twitter leaker Max J., which shows the phrase "kebab2" covered by a "no symbol".

To give this otherwise bizarre-looking image context, MaxJ had previously leaked that the OnePlus 8T had the codename of "kebab". Therefore this image tells us that there isn't a second "kebab" model. It would be interesting to know whether this is because the OnePlus 8T Pro had been cancelled, or because OnePlus had no plans to release such a model to begin with.

OnePlus introduced the Pro variant of its handsets with the OnePlus 7 Pro in early 2019, and followed this with the OnePlus 7T Pro later that year. Most recently, the OnePlus 8 Pro debuted alongside the OnePlus 8 back in April. So while it's still a young tradition, it's become fairly well established,

However OnePlus' range of phones has expanded since then. The OnePlus Nord, released in August, now offers the cheapest ticket to the OnePlus lifestyle, leaving the OnePlus 8 in an awkward spot. At $699, it's roughly $150 more than the Nord, but has three fewer cameras. On the other hand, while the size and build of the 8 is similar to the 8 Pro, it lacks some of the Pro model's best features such as a 120Hz display and a telephoto camera, meaning you may well be tempted to spend an extra $200.

It makes a fair amount of sense for OnePlus to now abandon the "Pro" label and just make its numbered flagships luxurious by default, with the Nord catering to those who want a OnePlus phone for less. And with more Nord-series phones rumored to be arriving before the end of the year, we could see an even more diverse OnePlus family in the near future.

The previous big OnePlus 8T leak, revealed by Android Central, was pretty major, citing a OnePlus insider who revealed that the new phone will have a Snapdragon 865 Plus system-on-chip, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, four rear cameras and a 6.55-inch 120Hz display. The 8T will also come with Android 11 installed out of the box, in the form of OxygenOS 11.

Aside from the leaks, we can make a lot of assumptions based on previous T versions of OnePlus phones. The new phone will likely cost a similar amount to the original OnePlus 8/8Pro, except with different color options and possibly just a single choice for storage capacity. While there are interior changes rumored, there likely won't be a big change to the exterior design, although this has happened once or twice — see the OnePlus 7T.

Richard Priday
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.