The OnePlus 11 has been available for a few weeks now, and it has already risen among the ranks to become one of the best flagship phones in 2023. But the company is not done with the OnePlus 11 lineup yet, as we learned in a teaser last week, with the manufacturer prepping a limited edition version of the phone. The teaser didn’t reveal much, though it did indicate the arrival of a new variant of the flagship with a focus on the planet Jupiter. We now know what this version will bring to the table, with OnePlus sharing additional details on the device while also confirming its launch date, at least in China.
Known as “Jupiter Rock,” this variant will utilize a completely new production process using a microcrystalline rock. The process is far from simple, as the company explains in a post on Weibo (via 9to5Google). OnePlus defines it as a “new self-developed back cover process,” with the development supposedly taking more than a year. Furthermore, the phone maker said that each unit was “100% hand-selected.”
OnePlus China President, Li Jie, offered additional information on the production process of the Jupiter Rock OnePlus 11 in a separate Weibo post, saying the efficiency of this microcrystalline rock only has half the yield rate of glass and 25% of its production efficiency. The uniqueness of the manufacturing process means each Jupiter Rock OnePlus 11 has a different texture on its rear panel.
Lastly, the Jupiter Rock OnePlus 11 will be unveiled on Wednesday, March 29, in China. That brings us to the bad news. This limited edition variant may never see the light of day outside the region. While the company hasn’t confirmed this yet, it’s a fair assumption to make, considering the obvious mass production challenges and the fact that these details have only been shared on Chinese social media. There’s almost certainly going to be a premium price tag attached to this phone, though details on this are scarce right now.
Limited edition devices are not new to OnePlus. Moreover, Asian markets have a sizable demand for such phones and even smartwatches. So the company’s decision to launch this model is not particularly surprising.
OnePlus 11
The OnePlus 11 is a fantastic phone, even when it’s clad in boring old terrestrial glass instead of Jupiter Rock. It’s got a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and up to 16GB of RAM at its core, which are absolutely top-of-the-line specs. But OnePlus wisely cut costs in other, less important areas, and as a result, this super premium-tier phone can be had for budget-flagship prices.
