OnePlus 8 series will be more expensive than its predecessor, here is why

In an interview with CNET,  OnePlus CEO Pete Lau said: “going forward, we’re all in on 5G”, hinting 5G support for the upcoming OnePlus 8 series of smartphones. This means both the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro will have support for 5G networks.

“I want to restate our commitment to 5G and our long term investment,” Lau said. “We’ve been investing in 5G for several years and we see this as the direction going forward and one we’re very much committed to.”

The addition of the 5G technology in the OnePlus 8 series means there will be an increase in the price point — the 8 series will be more expensive than its predecessor. “We’ve always had a position in creating the best product possible at the best price point,” Lau said. “The new technology does add costs, so costs have risen in comparison to 4G products.”

However, it’s unlikely that the OnePlus 8 series will be as costly as $1,000. CEO Pete Lau assured that we’ll see a more expensive “Pro” and a regular OnePlus 8, but the pricing will be “accessible”. So, the upcoming “Pro” model will be priced higher than last year’s OnePlus 7T Pro, but it won’t be as expensive as the iPhone 11 Pro or the Pro Max.

CEO Pete Lau made no comment on whether the company is going to stop developing 4G phones for good. But looking at the state of the 5G penetration across the world, it’s unlikely that OnePlus will give up on making 4G phones. Countries like India, where OnePlus is the number one flagship smartphone brand, don’t have 5G yet, and therefore, in all likelihood, the company will continue to make 4G variants for markets that don’t have access to 5G.

OnePlus 8 is expected to hit the market in the second week of April.