OnePlus may further diversify its line of smartphones to more price segments. After the midrange Nord, OnePlus could announce an entry-level smartphone — code-named “Clover” — later this year, according to Android Central.
Android Central claims the new phone will be likely priced in the vicinity of $200 and will be rolled out globally including in the U.S., making it the company’s most affordable offering to date. Notably, OnePlus didn’t bring the sub-$500 Nord smartphone to the U.S but in a Wired interview, co-founder Carl Pei hinted that it may bring a different Nord-branded smartphone to the U.S. down the road.
As you’d expect, the “Clover” won’t have the usual set of premium hardware you’d normally find on higher-end OnePlus phones. It will be powered by Qualcomm’s budget chipset, the Snapdragon 460 that was unveiled back in January and does not support 5G networks. In addition, there will be 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage with a MicroSD slot, a standard audio jack, and a regular fingerprint reader on the rear.
Other than the affordable price tag, OnePlus’ first entry-level smartphone’s biggest highlight will be reportedly its enormous 6,000mAh battery. Paired with a low-res 6.52-inch 720p LCD, the OnePlus “Clover” could potentially last more than two days on a single charge. Android Central didn’t comment on whether it will support fast charging. We also don’t know whether it will have a new design to cut costs or inherit the Nord’s look.
The new OnePlus phone will also have plenty of cameras, especially for the price. There will be three on the back: A primary 13-megapixel sensor, and a pair of 2-megapixel supplementary lenses.
The OnePlus “Clover” has briefly appeared in benchmark listings and other reports before. Therefore, OnePlus could launch it sooner than later.
Despite the price, however, the OnePlus “Clover” will still face fierce competition in markets such as India where most smartphones are sold in the sub-$200 bracket. In the U.S., on the other hand, it’s unclear how OnePlus will position this new phone. Network carrier partnerships seem unlikely mainly because it doesn’t have 5G compatibility and if the price is more than the rumored $200, it could be overshadowed by the Apple iPhone SE and Google Pixel 4a.
