We've seen a lot of brands come up with different models and variants of smartphones to lure the masses. But OnePlus has been consistent with its premium smartphone offering. The Chinese smartphone company had attempted a mid-range smartphone with OnePlus X but never tried it again as it didn't bear the results as expected.
If the latest reports are to be believed, OnePlus might be giving a mid-range phone another go. According to 91Mobiles, OnePlus 8 Lite is going to be launched in the first half of 2020, which suggests it could arrive with the 2020 flagships, OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro.
This surely comes as a surprise as no one had hoped to see another mid-range from OnePlus. In fact, the company's co-founder Carl Pei was quick enough to dismiss rumours about OnePlus X2 early last year and also urged his followers to stop such reports from spreading. It was clear from his actions that OnePlus would continue focusing on premium flagships rather than compromising on certain features to offer cheaper products.
We are once again looking at a possibility that OnePlus might launch a mid-range smartphone. The latest report about OnePlus 8 Lite is backed by renders that reveal the full design of the unannounced phone. This is also the first time we are hearing about a mid-range phone from OnePlus to be launched alongside 2020 flagships, so there's no clarity on how much of it is true.
Assuming the renders (via 91Mobiles & OnLeaks) are accurate, OnePlus 8 Lite would feature a punch-hole camera, flat display and a rectangular camera module with two sensors at the back.
The display is expected to measure around 6.4-inch or 6.5-inch with a punch-hole cutout at the centre top for a single front camera. The renders show USB Type-C port, an alert slider on the side, and still no headphone jack - much in line with other OnePlus flagships.
OnePlus 8 Lite is shown with a curved glass back with the company logo at the centre and the camera sensors on the top left the corner. According to the report, the handset would feature an in-display fingerprint scanner and an OLED display with 90Hz refresh rate.
With the rising prices of OnePlus phones each year, OnePlus 8 Lite could be seen as a welcoming change in the company's product portfolio. The pricing of the OnePlus 8 Lite would determine how successful it will be. But it will surely be positioned in an attractive price range as compared to OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro.
