Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
Update, October 6, 2021 (1:30 AM ET): We’ve updated our OnePlus 9RT hub with new details concerning possible Chinese pricing and the phone’s physical design. See below for more!
Original article: The OnePlus 9 series burst onto the scene a few months back. As a follow-up, the company usually debuts a year-end T series device bringing a chipset bump and smaller improvements. You’d probably expect that phone to be the OnePlus 9T. However, 2021’s lineup could be a little different.
If the rumors ring true, OnePlus could soon debut a new hybrid device line melding its T and R series. The rumored OnePlus 9RT would be the first product to bear the new suffix and stand as the company’s year-end release. But what do we know about the phone? Below, we round up the hottest OnePlus 9RT rumors, leaks, and news thus far.
OnePlus 9RT: Name and release date
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
The first mention of the OnePlus 9RT moniker surfaced in mid-August, courtesy of an Android Central report. It’s important to note that OnePlus has yet to confirm the existence of the device.
Judging by its name, the OnePlus 9RT would be more a OnePlus 9R revision than a OnePlus 8T upgrade. Suggestions that the OnePlus 9R will be used as a base for the device adds credence to this theory. However, as OnePlus might not launch a OnePlus 9T series at all this year, the OnePlus 9RT could be filling a gap in that device line, too.
Our verdict: OnePlus 9R review | OnePlus 8T review
As for its launch date, frequent leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka @OnLeaks) posits it could land on October 15, 2021. That would be almost a year after the OnePlus 8T arrived and six months after the OnePlus 9R’s launch. Notably, other OnePlus T series phones have seen launch dates anywhere between September and November, so October does seem to be the Goldilocks estimate.
Specs and features
Luke Pollack / Android Authority
As the OnePlus 9RT is believed to be an upgraded OnePlus 9R, we expect the two phones to share plenty of aesthetic design traits and core features. Notable tipster Digital Chat Station echoes this, suggesting that the two phones are “basically the same.” The expected colorways include black, silver, and blue.
Beyond the colorways, these design similarities apparently include the 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 4,500mAh battery. We also expect UFS 3.1 storage and at least 8GB of RAM to feature, too. However, key specifications could see a “modest” bump.
Starting with the rear camera array, the OnePlus 9RT will reportedly gain the OnePlus Nord 2‘s 50MP Sony IMX766 as its main camera, in favor of the 48MP Sony IMX586 used on the OnePlus 9R. There’s no word on its companion shooters, but it could retain the OnePlus 9R’s 16MP+5MP+2MP supporting setup.
See also: A history of every OnePlus phone so far
As for silicon, rumors point to a “higher-binned version” of the Snapdragon 870 SoC, which may provide some performance improvements in terms of a higher clock speed.
The OnePlus 9RT is also believed to be the first in the company’s product range to arrive with Android 12-based Oxygen OS 12. The new UI will reportedly borrow heavily from Oppo’s Color OS but will include several OnePlus-exclusive features, like Shelf. New additions are also touted, including floating windows, privacy improvements, and a new theme store.
Other rumored features include Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the display, stereo speakers with Dolby support, and NFC.
A phone believed to be the OnePlus 9RT recently passed through China’s 3C certification platform (h/t MyFixGuide). The device, bearing model number MT2110, will arrive with 65W charging support alongside the same charger as the OnePlus 9R.
Pricing and availability
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
The OnePlus 9R remains an India exclusive smartphone, so we don’t expect the OnePlus 9RT to be available in too many additional regions. While some rumors point to the phone’s availability in China, there’s no indication that Europe or North America will gain access to the device. This could mean that users in the west could be without a T series OnePlus device in 2021.
OnePlus 9R
The OnePlus 9R marks a return to OnePlus’ roots as an affordable flagship with plenty of raw power, fast 65W charging, and an attractive 120Hz display.
What about pricing? Well, considering the slight upgrades, the OnePlus 9RT shouldn’t come in too much higher than the OnePlus 9R, which debuted at Rs 39,999 (~$548) in India. The OnePlus 8T, meanwhile, came in at Rs 42,999 (~$588). We’d expect the OnePlus 9RT to slot in between these two devices, but don’t be too surprised to see pricing push the $600 mark, either.
According to Digital Chat Station, Chinese pricing may fall between the 2,000 and 3,000 yuan mark (~$310-$465), putting it firmly among the country’s mid-range handsets.
What do you think of the OnePlus 9RT so far? Do you think it will be a worthy upgrade over the OnePlus 8T and OnePlus 9R? Let us know in the comments!