OnePlus 13 global launch confirmed and it's just around the corner

The fight to be crowned the best Android phone on the market is never ending. While most will currently be scoffing mince pies and enjoying the twinkly lights on their tree, major tech brands are hard at work ensuring their next handset will be in with a chance of victory.

Once the ball drops on the 31st of December, the race is on, with a wide array of brands vying to be among the first to launch. And we now know one who will be there – OnePlus.

That's because the global launch event for the brand's OnePlus 13 handset has been confirmed. The handset will launch on the 7th of January 2025, at 3:30pm GMT.

It's likely no coincidence that the launch falls in the same window as CES 2025. OnePlus aren't listed as an exhibitor at the event, but that doesn't mean the brand can't steal some of the limelight from devices launched at the show.

It could certainly do that, too. While we're not 100% sure what the global spec sheet will be, if it's anything like the Chinese release, it's going to be a showstopper.

That packed in the new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, alongside a gargantuan 6,000mAh battery and up to 24GB of RAM. It also offered up to 4,500 nits of peak brightness via an AMOLED display with adaptive refresh rate, IP68 and IP69 water and dust resistance ratings, and a triple-50MP rear camera array tuned by Hasselblad.

I'm personally really excited for this one. I was vocal about my adoration for last year's OnePlus 12, which was arguably the best looking phone of the year. My only two gripes came with the slippery nature of the thing – it was nearly a very snazzy discus – and the lack of consistency between cameras.

Both of those look set to be remedied this time out. The 13 looks set to come with a couple of different textured back options, including a vegan composite leather and a wood effect panel, while the camera uses a trio of Sony 50MP sensors.

For the ultrawide and telephoto sensors, those are said to be the same Sony IMX882 found in the CMF Phone 1. I was seriously impressed with the quality of that sensor – and I can't wait to see what it looks like with some Hasselblad magic on top!