OnePlus 12: The Top Things You Should Know Before it Launches
OnePlus 12 is one of the most anticipated smartphones to hit the end of 2023. Following numerous teasers, OnePlus has set the official date on when the OnePlus 12 will be announced. Before we arrive at the special day, here's everything you need to learn about the flagship device, from specs and features to price and availability.
When is the OnePlus 12 will be launched and released?
OnePlus confirmed that they are unveiling the OnePlus 12 on December 5, 2024 at 2:30 PM local time in China. It is happening a day after the company's 10th year anniversary. At the same time, they are opening pre-orders while the actual availability is hinted to start on December 9, at least locally.
OnePlus has not revealed any details on the specific schedule for the global announcement. But notable leaker Max Jambor believes this will happen earlier in January. A current promotional event suggests this could be on January 23, which will be the day the campaign ends. In addition, it's likely they will be taking the stage both in the USA and India, which are two major markets of the brand.
Pre-orders for the remaining markets should commence at the same time it will go official for international markets, while shipments should also kick off in the same week as the launch day.
What is the design and colors of OnePlus 12?
Almost all the OnePlus 12 looks are already revealed through teasers and promotions. Firstly, the device is sporting an iterative look from the OnePlus 11. At the back, it has a circular camera island that houses the cameras and sensors. This has a metal ring that wraps the island and flows to the left edge of the back.
There is also a new white colorway, and by the looks of it, this will be made of glass along with a green option that has a marble finish. The black has a sandy texture, though it's unclear if this is made of glass or metal. All colors are said to be inspired by the nature hues, especially for the green.
OnePlus is keeping many of the exterior components unchanged on the OnePlus 12, and that covers the alert slider on the left side and the usual set of keys on the right side. Lastly, the USB-C port is still flanked by speaker grilles at the bottom.
OnePlus 12 display is bigger and brighter
Apparently, the thinner bezels could result in extra screen estate on the OnePlus 12. It is tipped to feature a midge wider LTPO OLED screen with a diagonal size of 6.8-inch. Additionally, the new display is supplied by BOE and outputs 2,600 nits of peak brightness. The number is drastically way higher than the 1300 nits on the OnePlus 11 (review).
The OnePlus 12's display keeps the slightly curved glass edges on its screen. Whether this might utilize an unchanged refresh rate at 120 Hz or have this elevated to 144 Hz or higher is unknown at the moment. Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection is also a big welcome upgrade, though the current glass is more than decent enough.
OnePlus 12 shares cameras with OnePlus Open
OnePlus has revealed that the OnePlus 12 camera setup will feature a new 50 MP Lytia 808 sensor from Sony for the primary shooter. This uses stacked pixel technology, which is similar to what's found on the OnePlus Open (review).
It is also revealed by an executive of OnePlus that the remaining sensors include a new 64 MP periscope camera with 3x optical zoom and a 48 MP ultrawide snapper, suggesting the setup is entirely similar to the OnePlus foldable. In addition, the OnePlus 12 retains Hasselblad for color calibration and adds a new sensor, which is either a laser AF or a 3D ToF.
While the expected imaging performance could be on par with the Open, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset with an improved ISP on the OnePlus 12 could possibly give its photos and videos a boost. However, we are yet to confirm if there will be a substantial difference in real life.
OnePlus 12 processor and memory configuration
OnePlus 12's internals are headlined by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. The new flagship chip boasts 30 percent CPU and 25 percent better GPU performance than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. There is also a heavy emphasis on the machine-learning capabilities of the silicon, but it's unclear how OnePlus is going to utilize this on the handset.
In terms of memory, the Chinese variant of the OnePlus 12 is slated to carry up to 24 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage. It's not said if the same configuration will be offered for other countries. However, we wish that OnePlus upgrade the base model to 256 GB storage from 128 GB.
OnePlus 12 battery capacity and charging speed
Per rumor, the OnePlus 12 has a 5,400 mAh battery capacity, which is a modest increase from the 5,000 mAh cell size of its predecessor. If it materializes, it will make the OnePlus 12 as one of the recent flagship devices with such a capacity.
The charging department is tipped to have the same 100 watts fast charging speed. Meanwhile, the incorporation of a glass back indicates of the return of wireless charging, which has been ditched on the OnePlus 11 and OnePlus Open.
How much the OnePlus 12 will cost
The development around the OnePlus 12 tells us there won't be price changes. Meaning, the device could be priced at $699 for the base model and for $799 on the higher-end variant if the tide is on our side. Of course, pricing will likely differ in many countries.
With the OnePlus 12's reveal closing in and with most specs already uncovered, what other surprises do you want to see from the device? Would wish to see a standalone AI function? Perhaps an on-board generative AI tool that is identical to what's rumored on the Samsung Galaxy S24? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
