Mark your calendars, OnePlus fans – January 23rd will see the international launch of two hotly anticipated phones: the flagship OnePlus 12 and the more affordable OnePlus 12R.
OnePlus co-founder Pete Lau recently celebrated the company’s 10th anniversary by announcing these models will finally expand beyond Chinese borders. Exciting stuff! He teased a few 12 details like the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, Hasselblad camera array with 3x telephoto zoom, and slick Flowy Emerald colorway.
While Lau played coy on specifics, we can fill in blanks based on the Chinese 12 variant with its epic 6.82” Quad HD+ display, up to 24GB RAM and 1TB storage, and imposing camera module. The 12 should compete with premium flagships while significantly undercutting their prices.
Meanwhile the midrange 12R packs almost as much value, likely powered by last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor to achieve a lower cost. Expect capable photography from its 50MP main camera too. The 12R probably won’t boast bleeding-edge performance, but promises premium features at an enticing price.
OnePlus entered the budget 5G arena last year with its value-packed Nord series. Now the 12 and 12R signal a push into high-end international markets currently dominated by Apple and Samsung. OnePlus clearly feels equipped now to take on the mobile elite.
No word whether these OnePlus launches will hit US and Europe simultaneously. But their ambition is clear – shake up the Android landscape with cutting edge performance at mainstream prices. With its polished hardware and OxygenOS software strengths, OnePlus could make serious inroads if they market these new flagships aggressively. Stay tuned for January 23rd when the master plan is unveiled!
