In 2014, OnePlus changed the rules of smartphone production by pioneering the concept of flagship killer smartphones. The company also turned the premium segment on its head by presenting features like display refresh rate displays. Fast forward to 2020, OnePlus decided it was time to disrupt the mid-segment smartphone range.
Leading the Mid-range Smartphone Range
In 2020, OnePlus was leading the smartphone market with its flagship models. In the same year, the company decided to manufacture its models more accessible and affordable, and hence, launched the OnePlus Nord.
Before the OnePlus Nord hit the market, the mid-segment smartphone range used to be the ‘Land of Phone Compromises’. Mid-segment smartphones would come with one or two USPs at most. Mid-segment smartphones were not quite smart. Often, people had no choice but to pick a phone with certain strengths but various weaknesses. Before the Nord series, there was no mid-segment smartphone that did it all and did it all well.
The OnePlus Nord Series
Launched at 24,999 INR, the first OnePlus Nord came in a premium design package—a rare sight in the mid-segment smartphone range. Before the OnePlus Nord, glass backs were considered a premium-phone-only feature but the Nord broke the norm and brought the premium glass back design to the mid-segment in a trademark blue shade, the official color of the Nord series. Following are some specs of the OnePlus Nord series:
- AMOLED display with a high refresh rate
- Dual Front Camera and Quad Camera at the back
- Main sensor equipped with OIS
- Huge Battery with support for fast charging
- OxygenOS (the differentiating factor for OnePlus models)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 Processor
- Plenty of RAM and Storage
- Support for 5G (another rare and differentiating factor)
When OnePlus had first started its smartphone journey, it had invented a new smartphone segment called the ‘flagship killer.’ With the Nord series, OnePlus again created a new segment: the “premium mid-segment.” It was for mid-segment phones what the flagship killer was for premium phones all those years ago– premium specs and design but at a very competitive price tag.
Taking Forward the ‘Nord Legacy’
To take the Nord legacy forward, OnePlus is now adding a new smartphone to the Nord family. At the “ More Power to You” event scheduled on April 28 2022, OnePlus will be launching the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite. As the name of the event suggests, it is likely to be even more affordable than the Nord phones we have seen so far. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite is expected to come with the following features:
- 64-megapixel Main Camera Sensor
- Support for 5G
- OxygenOS
- Blue Tide design
After defining the premium mid-segment and the core mid-segment, it seems that OnePlus is now turning its attention to yet another part of the most popular price segment in the market. And going by its track record, the Nord will revolutionize this one as well. The event will also see the launch of the OnePlus Nord Buds, the first Nord branded hearable, placing another stone in the Nord ecosystem foundation.
