OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 Release Date And Specs: May/June 2017 Reveal, Ceramic Body, QHD Panel, 8GB RAM, And A New Breed Of Dash Charging

OnePlus is undoubtedly the dark horse of the smartphone market. Breaking through the highly competitive mobile arena three years ago with its exclusive invite-only OnePlus One smartphone, the upstart manufacturer has steadily become one of the world’s most formidable mobile firms. With 2017 welcoming yet another batch of flagships from established firms such as LG, Samsung and Huawei, speculations are high that the OnePlus 4, or OnePlus 5 as other speculations suggest, would be the company’s best effort yet.

Very little is known about the One Plus 4. Even the device’s moniker is up for question, with some rumors suggesting that the smartphone maker would skip the OnePlus 4 and move directly to the release of the OnePlus 5. These speculations are rooted in a traditional Chinese belief that the number four is bad luck. This, coupled with the fact that OnePlus’ sister company, Vivo, utilized the same strategy with the release of its V3 and V5 smartphones, has encouraged numerous tech aficionados to speculate that this year would see the release of the OnePlus 5 instead.

The release date of the OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 has not been confirmed by the smartphone maker, but speculations are high that the highly-anticipated flagship killer would be unveiled sometime within the second quarter of 2017. Currently, rumors point to a possible May/June 2017 reveal and a June/July 2017 release. This particular timeline actually makes a lot of sense for OnePlus, since its rivals such as the Galaxy S8 and LG G6 would already be in the market by then. Being a flagship killer, it would be perfect for OnePlus to have some updated flagships to target.

One thing that OnePlus phones have always excelled in is their specs and price. When the smartphone maker first started, its first device, the OnePlus One, was lauded as a “flagship killer,” being equipped with the specs of the most expensive devices from noted manufacturers but having the price of a reasonable midrange device. A PC Advisor report stated that this trend is expected to continue this year, with the OnePlus 4 or OnePlus 5 having internals that are comparable to upcoming devices such as the Galaxy S8 and LG G6, but having only a fraction of the popular flagships’ price.

OnePlus is yet to release any details about the upcoming 2017 flagship device, but speculations are nevertheless high that the OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 would be equipped with the best specs the mobile world has to offer. With this in mind, speculations are high that the OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 would carry Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 chip, around 8GB of RAM, a QHD display, a special new frame and a revamped, improved version of its Dash Charging feature.

The Snapdragon 835 is almost a no-brainer for the OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5. Ever since the upstart smartphone manufacturer released its first device back in 2014, the company has always made it a point to equip its devices with the best mobile processor on the market at the time. This trend has continued well into the release of the OnePlus 3 last year.

Interestingly, the company’s pursuit of equipping the best processor on its phones is also noted as one of the primary reasons behind the release of the OnePlus 3T, a half-step upgrade that boasts an upgraded chip over its predecessor. Thus, it would not be surprising at all if the OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 will be equipped with Qualcomm’s most formidable chip to date, according to a Pocket-Lint report.

Rumors of the OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 being equipped with a QHD panel have emerged consistently as of late, with speculations stating that the device is in need of a display upgrade. In a lot of ways, an improvement in the upcoming device’s screen makes a lot of sense, especially since the display is the one area that its current flagship, the OnePlus 3T, is lacking at. While the OnePlus 3T’s 1080p display is more than enough for daily use, there is little doubt that its resolution lags behind those that are found in the Galaxy S7 and the LG G5.

The OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 is also rumored to feature a completely new frame, with rumors pointing to either an all-glass body or a special ceramic frame. Both designs would be a huge change from the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T’s all-metal body, which is inspired by the trendsetters in the smartphone market such as the Apple iPhone. Considering that a number of 2017 flagships such as the Galaxy S8 and the iPhone 8 are speculated to feature revamped frames as well, OnePlus’ rumored shift to an all-glass/ceramic body has been welcomed very well by fans of the device.

Perhaps the most sought-after upgrade for the OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5, however, would be the upcoming smartphone’s rumored improvements to its battery. The OnePlus 3T currently has a pretty generous 3400mAh battery with Dash Charging, and it has been a massive hit among the smartphone’s users. Considering that the OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 must be a significant upgrade over its predecessor, there is a good chance that both the size of its battery, as well as its Dash Charging technology, would be upgraded for the upcoming flagship. No leaks about the upcoming device’s battery have been leaked so far, but speculations suggest that the OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 would feature a 4000mAh battery pack together with a new, upgraded Dash Charging feature.

The OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 would almost certainly be one of 2017’s most formidable smartphones. While the device’s specifics remain exclusive in the rumor mill for now, there is a good chance that the upcoming device would be OnePlus’ best flagship killer yet. Considering that this year’s flagships are no joke, however, the OnePlus 4/OnePlus 5 would have to be pretty remarkable to maintain its flagship killer status. The next few months will ultimately prove if OnePlus is up to the challenge.

[Featured Image by OnePlus]