OnePlus 5T release: overhauled model launching next month?

A screenshot of OnePlus 5 from a promotional video.YouTube/OnePlus

Previous reports claimed that OnePlus is planning to ditch OnePlus 5T and proceed with the production of a new flagship dubbed OnePlus 6 for next year instead. But it looks like the redesigned OnePlus 5 may still be arriving this year after all.

OnePlus 5 has apparently been selling so well for the past couple of months that inventory for the handset has reportedly already dried up. GizmoChina revealed that all models of the phone are listed as out of stock in many countries right now, suggesting that a revamped version could indeed be on its way.

However, Qualcomm has not yet released a new chipset. Since that was initially supposed to be the core modification for the OnePlus 5 successor, fans are wondering what to expect should a 5T model get released.

Citing a reliable source, the publication claimed that OnePlus is preparing to launch the redesigned version of its 2017 flagship this time with a larger, edge-to-edge display to go against phones like the iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, and Google Pixel 2. OnePlus is reportedly increasing the screen size on the new model to 6-inches with 2160 x 1080p resolution, making it an 18:9 smartphone.

Unfortunately, there is no confirmation as to whether it will have curved screen edges or not, and there is also no sign of what the phone looks like from the rear. As for the rest of the specs, patrons can expect they will still be the same as the OnePlus 5.

A leaked render supplied by the same source reaffirms the claims, showing how the 5T has super thin bezels. However, Android Authority noted that the render looks like the leaked render of the Oppo F5 that surfaced a few days ago, and the software seen in the image is reportedly Oppo's, not Oxygen OS. As such, this might not be an accurate representation of the new model.

One would think it is still too early for another OnePlus phone, given that the 5 model has only been on the market for four months. However, this would not be an unprecedented move. In 2016, OnePlus has also released the 3T less than a year after OnePlus 3's launch, though the primary change was the Snapdragon 820 processor which was replaced with the newer Snapdragon 821.

OnePlus 5T is rumored to be announced sometime this November, around the same time the 3T was unveiled last year.