Skip to main content

Alleged OnePlus 8 Lite prototype spotted in video with Pete Lau

2020 has begun, and that means a bevy of new phones are on the horizon. While much attention is currently on the new Samsung Galaxy S flagship, don’t forget about the flagship killer. This year OnePlus is rumored to be releasing a trio of new flagship phones under the OnePlus 8 banner. Of the three, the OnePlus 8 Lite is expected to be the cheapest of the three — and a Chinese video has given us a good look at what’s alleged to be the OnePlus 8 Lite with a triple-lens camera array.

The video, hosted on Chinese video site Bilibili, shows four men — including OnePlus CEO Pete Lau — seemingly discussing a number of OnePlus’s phones, contained in a clear plastic box. However, squished at the front of the box is an unfamiliar looking phone, and it has been suggested by many this is the upcoming OnePlus 8 Lite. According to what we can see in the video, the OnePlus 8 Lite is expected to be a fairly tall phone, with a triple-lens rear camera module, arranged vertically down the right-hand side of the phone. More angled shots of the camera module show an extremely significant camera bump that could prove to be a downside for the final release. It’s unlikely the phone next to the alleged OnePlus 8 Lite shows the front of the same phone, as we expect a punch-hole display on the 8 Lite.

This design flies in the face of previous leaks, and notable leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer revised his previous renders to include the triple-lens camera. While it’s usually worth standing by the renders of leakers like Hemmerstoffer, the fact that Pete Lau stars in the video lends a massive amount of validity to the newly revealed design.

Of course, it’s extremely unlikely this was mistakenly leaked in any way. It’s probable that the phone in the video is a dummy unit of a OnePlus 8 Lite prototype, and was included in the video just to spark discussion and build hype for the upcoming phone range. With so much of the spotlight on Samsung’s new phones and CES 2020, such a bold move would be required to bring press attention back.

Details about the OnePlus 8 Lite are fairly slim at the moment. It is expected to be a midrange alternative to OnePlus’s usual super-midrange offerings, with a lower price to match. However, details on price and specs are unknown, though it’s fair to expect OnePlus to continue its tradition of cramming the most recent flagship specs into a lower-priced bundle. While the two higher-priced models are likely to have more special features, the OnePlus 8 Lite could be the phone to buy if you love a bargain.

Editors' Recommendations

Mark Jansen
Mark Jansen is an avid follower of everything that beeps, bloops, or makes pretty lights. He has a degree in Ancient &…
How this surprise OnePlus feature changed my smartphone photos forever
A person holding the OnePlus 12.

I don’t usually mess around with Pro modes in smartphone camera apps much. I’m not a “pro,” so they rarely seem relevant, and the combination of an effective auto mode and a great editing platform usually means I end up with a photo I’m pleased with anyway.

But that all changed when I tried Master Mode on the OnePlus 12. Yes, it’s a Pro mode in disguise, but it has an unusual and quite specific feature set that has helped me create photos I love and furthered my own photographic style far more than most other phones I’ve used recently.
Personal photographic style

Read more
The OnePlus 12R is still one of 2024’s best smartphone deals
OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition in hand.

OnePlus is still quite new to me, as I was a lifelong iPhone user until I joined Digital Trends. However, OnePlus has a pretty solid reputation in the mobile world, and now I can see why, as the OnePlus 12 is one of my favorite smartphones that I’ve used so far this year.

But the OnePlus 12 isn’t the only phone that OnePlus launched in 2024. There is also the more affordable value option, the OnePlus 12R, which even comes in a cool Genshin Impact Edition.

Read more
OnePlus surprises us with dazzling Android tablet and smartwatch
A press image of the OnePlus Watch 2 Nordic Blue edition.

OnePlus has launched a new Android tablet and a desirable special edition of the OnePlus Watch 2, both in beautiful color schemes that make us want them both right now. Unfortunately, that won't be easy if you live in the U.S.. The company has announced the OnePlus Pad Go tablet and OnePlus Watch 2 Nordic Blue edition smartwatch at an event in Helsinki, Finland, and both are currently only destined for a European release.

If you recognize the OnePlus Pad Go's name , it’s because the tablet was released in India last year, and it comes in the same stunning Twin Mint color scheme, which is as trendy as it gets. Although the company hasn't been forthcoming with all the details about the tablet, the specifications are unlikely to have changed from the model released in India. It has an 11.3-inch screen with a 2.4K (that’s 2408 x 1720 pixels) resolution, which it claims is currently the highest available on an Android tablet, and a 90Hz refresh rate.

Read more