OnePlus Aurora set to battle iPhone 12 4G next month

The release date for the OnePlus Nord's even cheaper sibling is out

OnePlus Aurora concept
(Image credit: Concept Creator/ Max J)
Shabana Arif
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OnePlus has become the darling of the smartphone industry with its solid hardware and affordable prices. While it has launched a number of more premium flagship devices – like the OnePlus 8 Pro that was crowned T3's Best Phone and Gadget of the Year – it returned to its roots last month with the debut of the OnePlus Nord which offered a medley of key specs at a great price. 

The Nord didn't get a global launch, however, skipping the US and releasing exclusively in Europe and India, but fans of the brand were pleased to hear rumours of an even cheaper handset, dubbed OnePlus Aurora, that would be making its way across the pond; and now it seems that the device could be unveiled as early as next month.  

Twitter leaker Chun has shared details on two upcoming handsets; one is an Oppo smartphone, while the other is a OnePlus device, which is what's caught out attention. 

According to Chun's tweet, the unnamed smartphone will launch at the end of September – just in time to take on the rumoured fifth iPhone 12 model that will be sporting a lower price tag thanks to the fact that it will be 4G-only. This mysterious OnePlus handset will reportedly house Qualcomm's Snapdragon 662 or 665 chipset, both of which lack 5G capabilities.

While this isn't great news for those looking to future-proof their next tech purchase, it does explain how the price of the device can undercut the already bargainous OnePlus Nord which is 5G-ready and starts from just £379.

Chun has only referenced an Indian price and release date, which would translate to £165/ $215 to £185/ $243 at a straight conversion. Whether this is the rumoured OnePlus Aurora that'll be making its way to American shores is unknown. 

We're expecting to see the OnePlus 8T make an appearance at some point, but the smartphone is thought to feature the Snapdragon 865 processor, so we'll have to wait for more details before jumping to any conclusions.   

Shabana Arif
Shabana Arif

Shabana worked at T3.com as News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). She's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down here at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies. If you have any tech or gaming tips, shoot over an email or DM her on social media.

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