Consumers really love the options to customize. Besides typical RAM/storage/color options, OEMs often release limited edition phones with exclusive artworks and features; just to exploit the hype and generate some extra revenue.
Unlike PCs, end users can’t (yet) assemble a handful of components and come up with their choice of configurations in the phone. For that reason, people are looking for smaller (and sometimes cheaper) variants of the flagship devices.
Samsung is one of the early adopters of this trend. The Korean OEM used to maintain a ‘Mini’ series of phones besides the flagship Galaxy S lineup. In fact, 2019’s Galaxy S10e became the successor to the currently-obsolete Mini category.
The Pixel series from Google features a regular (smaller) and a larger (XL) variants since the inception. This year, the Mountain View giant even launched the Pixel 3a phones to conquer the budget category (not outside the US though).
OnePlus dipped their toe in the same water in 2015 by releasing the OnePlus X alongside the OnePlus 2. After 4 long years, they repeated the history by introducing OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro.
See, the logic is not very hard to understand. The Chinese OEM is continuously drifting from their affordable ‘flashship killer‘ stance, thus a cheaper OnePlus phone with flagship grade configurations will essentially fill the void.
A significant portion of the smartphone users are not accustomed with motorized front camera design of the OnePlus 7 Pro. For them, the regular OnePlus 7 with a familiar waterdrop notch from the Oneplus 6T would be a worthy alternative.
Nevertheless, OnePlus followers should easily notice the lack of enthusiasm from OnePlus to promote the regular OnePlus 7. The lion’s share of their PR is dedicated to the premium class OnePlus 7 Pro.
The final nail in the coffin should be the decision to skip the US as a market for the OnePlus 7. Although the device is perfectly capable of handling required network bands, one can’t officially buy the regular OnePlus 7 in North America.
In a recently posted FAQ, OnePlus Community Consultant dsmonteiro cleared out the confusions regarding the availability of the OnePlus 7 in the soil of the US:
Question: Why did you decide not to launch the OnePlus 7 in North America?
Answer: At OnePlus, we’ve consistently delivered the best smartphone technology because we are committed to providing premium products and experiences for consumers. As OnePlus continues to grow, the company will naturally need to adapt and expand its product portfolio. The OnePlus 7 Pro is an ultra-premium flagship device that is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of US users.
T-Mobile, the wireless carrier partner of OnePlus in the USA, is carrying the Pro variant only.
As a breakthrough device with capabilities that match or exceed what is currently available on the US market, and an industry-leading display that sets a new standard for smoothness, the OnePlus 7 Pro offers the best possible smartphone experience for consumers. We will continue to sell the OnePlus 6T alongside the OnePlus 7 Pro for users looking for a premium flagship experience.
The strategy is somewhat complicated, as the 8 GB RAM variant of the OnePlus 6T (after receiving a permanent price cut of $30) is still being sold.
The current US pricing of the OnePlus 6T is $549 (128 GB storage) / $599 (256 GB storage). It means you can get a new OnePlus 7 with similar configurations a lot cheaper than a OnePlus 6T.
Talking about product listing, there is no official word about the availability of the regular OnePlus 7. It should be obtainable in next month (June), while the Chinese OEM is aggressively promoting the OnePlus 7 Pro across the world.
FYI, the user manual of the OnePlus 7 Pro has already been made available for download, but the same of the OnePlus 7 is delayed. Both phones are eligible for the Android Q beta testing, and fortunately the installer packages were shared for both the phones.
Considering the present scenario, is OnePlus playing the saga of the prodigal son with the OnePlus 7? Limited-cum-delayed availability and no US sales would be enough to make the phone dead on arrival.
Are you planning to buy the compact OnePlus 7? Or the Pro variant is the right toy for you? Let us by commenting below.
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OnePlus 7 OnePlus 7 Pro
Kingshuk De
896 Posts
I came from a mixed background of Statistics and Computer Science. My research domains included embedded computer systems, mobile computing and delay tolerant networks in post-disaster scenarios. Apart from tinkering with gadgets or building hackintosh, I like to hop on various subreddits and forums like MyDigitalLife and XDA.
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