Instagram blunder reveals details about OnePlus' newest phone

Rogue Instagram post reveals the name and a possible release date for the cut-price OnePlus handset

Instagram OnePlus
The OnePlus 8T may have a big advantage over the OnePlus 8 (pictured)
(Image credit: Future)
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Everything is coming together for OnePlus' budget offering, with an Instagram blunder from the phone giants revealing the name of the new handset, a cut-price variant of the OnePlus 8.

Snaps uploaded to the OnePlusZLiteThing Instagram has shown off a few different photos that tease the upcoming phone, and 9to5Google has spotted an invitation with the word Nord on display, sparking speculation that this is the name of the newest phone from OnePlus.

This photo and many others on the account have now been deleted and the account is private, which adds some weight to the suggestion. Luckily, several enterprising folk saved the images themselves: nothing is ever really gone once you've put it on the internet, after all.

The name OnePlus Nord has been floating around since earlier this month when we reported on leaker Max J. suggesting that name over the other rumoured names of OnePlus 8 Lite and OnePlus Z. We've known that a cheaper effort from OnePlus, making it more affordable to users who might baulk at a full-price flagship, has been in the offing for a while, it just wasn't sure what it would be called, when it was coming and how much it would cost.

We still have no information on the "cost" part, but things are starting to become clearer on the "when", as another photo posted to the Instagram account had a teaser in morse code, which spelt out July when decoded.

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau hasn't been shy about the company's efforts to make a more affordable model of their flagship, happily admitting that one was in the pipeline, but it does seem like the OnePlus Nord will be coming in July.

What are we expecting? A 6.4-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate seems likely, in addition to multiple rear cameras. Things are a little unclear as to whether it will use the same Snapdragon 865 chip that the OnePlus 8 has, but it's more likely to be a cheaper processor, although still one with 5G capability.

Rumours on pricing are somewhere between $499 and $649, but some are holding out hope that the price could be closer to the original One Plus, the OnePlus One, which launched in 2015 for just $299.

Jake Tucker
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