OnePlus Nord 'world first' launch event announced - here's how to watch

OnePlus has been teasing the upcoming release of its new, more affordable line of smartphones that will kick off with the OnePlus Nord, and now we finally have a release date! 

The Chinese tech company has taken a different approach with the Nord's imminent unveiling, building up excitement for the launch with a four-part docuseries and opening up pre-orders after each episode for a limited time or with a limited quantity - before anyone has seen the device or official specs. But today, we get a glimpse of the handset, and news of a 'world first' AR launch event. 

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After holding the world's first VR product launch with the OnePlus 2, the OnePlus Nord is getting the world's first AR smartphone launch - although this is as much to do with the pandemic as it is with innovating and creating new experiences. Head of OnePlus Nord, Paul Yu, said:

"OnePlus Nord represents a new beginning for OnePlus, giving us an opportunity to share our technology with more people around the world. 

"For this launch, we want everyone to sit back, relax, and experience our new phone for the first time right in the comfort of their living room. We feel that introducing Nord in a more personal and intimate way perfectly reflects our ambition to make the OnePlus experience more accessible to users."

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The OnePlus Nord is releasing on July 21 and you can check out our pre-order guide if you want in before the big day, but if you want to experience the launch event for yourself, you'll need to do a couple of things first.

Download the Nord AR App from the Play Store or App Store. If you have a physical invitation, you can scan the QR code to use the launch invitation. To get such an invitation, keep an eye on the OnePlus Nord Instagram account for further instructions. 

For everyone else, open the app at 4 pm CEST/ 3 pm BST and follow the on-screen instructions to kick off what's been described as an "immersive AR experience".  It's worth having a root around in the app before the event so that you can grant the necessary permissions and go through the setup process. 

The next round of pre-orders is next week, after the third episode of the docuseries drops, and a week later, the OnePlus Nord will launch, so mark your calendars!