- OnePlus has revealed the first look at the OnePlus Nord in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo in a new teaser video.
- Shared in advance with Android Authority, the video confirms the mid-range phone will sport a dual selfie camera and gives us an idea of the handset’s design.
- Android Authority spoke to OnePlus Head of Global, Carl Pei, ahead of the teaser’s launch. Be sure to check out our interview with the company’s co-founder for more on the OnePlus Nord.
OnePlus has been slowing trickling out details about the OnePlus Nord — the company’s second stab at cracking the mid-range market. We know the name, the processor (the Snapdragon 765G), and a ballpark price, but aside from leaks and rumors, we’ve had no official teases of what the phone actually looks like.
Thanks to a new teaser video (embedded below) published on the OnePlus Nord Instagram page — shared in advance with Android Authority — we’ve now been treated to our first look at OnePlus’ long-awaited affordable phone. It’s a fleeting glimpse to say the least, but there’s plenty to unpack and some brief clues about the OnePlus Nord specs.
The OnePlus Nord appears in the video at around the one minute mark as we see someone make a video call with the phone before slipping it into their pocket. The images in this article are screenshots taken from the video and show the front, back, and right side of the phone.
Let’s start with the most interesting part: the cameras. If you squint closely at the images above (click to expand), you can just about make out the reflection of a dual-lens, punch-hole selfie camera, similar to the Huawei P40 Pro. This lends further credence up a recent report that suggested the OnePlus Nord will sport a main 32MP selfie camera with an 8MP wide-angle shooter alongside.
Related: OnePlus 8 buyer’s guide: Everything you need to know
Things are a little less clear for the rear camera. Early renders hinted that the OnePlus Nord — then rumored to be called the OnePlus Z — would have a triple camera. More recent speculation has pointed to a quad camera setup, however. While it’s not completely clear in the video, the reflection of one of the lenses and its position in the vertical module does seem to suggest that we’re looking at four cameras on the rear. Check out the image below and tell us what you think.
Other takeaways include the color of the phone, which appears to have a cool gray/blue tone, and the flat display design. We can also see the button arrangement on the right side. This confirms that the beloved OnePlus alert slider will make its way from the OnePlus flagships to the Nord. Below that lies what appears to be a power button, with the volume rocker outline barely visible on the right in another frame. This tallies with very early CAD renders and echoes the button layout of the OnePlus 8 series.
The teaser video, which is intended to set the tone for the upcoming phone, shows clips of young people attending important personal and world events and celebrations. The voiceover references staying true to yourself and moving forward — two themes that OnePlus’ Head of Global and co-founder, Carl Pei, says are integral to the OnePlus Nord’s identity.
Android Authority talked with Pei, as well as VP of OnePlus France, Akis Evangelidis, ahead of the teaser’s reveal. You can read some of the key takeaways from that interview here, where we discuss the core target market for the OnePlus Nord (spoiler: it’s not die-hard OnePlus fans) and the decision making behind dropping to a mid-range processor. We’ll be publishing more insights from our chat later today and tomorrow, so be sure to check back for more on the OnePlus Nord very soon.
