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OnePlus is looking to expand its Android TV lineup as it expands beyond phones
Four new TVs expected for India
OnePlus entered the TV business a couple of years back and has launched a handful of Android TVs since then. The company has both budget and premium TVs in its portfolio that are currently limited to the Indian market. While we await the launch of the OnePlus 10 and Nord 2T, OnePlus is reportedly working on bringing new smart TVs to India soon.
OnePlus promises better color accuracy and Dolby Vision for its budget TV range
Stirring up hype in typical OnePlus fashion
As OnePlus often does before a new product launch, the company has been dropping various nuggets of information about its upcoming TV range. We already know it’s stepping into the budget segment after its debut range received a lukewarm response in India, the only launch market so far. The latest tidbit from OnePlus's CEO gives away a little more about the panel’s color accuracy and the support for Dolby’s premium HDR standard on the new series.
OnePlus ventured into the TV space late last year with a pair of sets offering some fancy features like a retractable soundbar and an Apple TV-esque remote control. But their sales didn’t quite pick up in India, mainly due to their high-end pricing, a space where brands like Samsung and LG have maintained a good hold. A recent tweet from the OnePlus CEO indicates that the company has taken note of that, and we could get to see some cheaper OnePlus TVs pretty soon.
OnePlus finally revealed its first TVs late last year, offering a mostly vanilla Android TV experience with a few exclusive features. The TVs have already received a few updates since launch, but a fairly significant one is just starting to roll out.
As 2019 ends and we enter a new decade, I felt the story of OnePlus deserved a bit more examination. In an email interview with CMO Kyle Kiang, I probed the history of a company that is often as shocking in its successes as it is in its marketing misfires. As it crests its sixth year as a smartphone vendor, it's more competitive than ever, coming a long way from the days when it could barely manage to build enough $349 OnePlus Ones using a tightly controlled and very annoying invitation system.
OnePlus marked its entry into the TV market this September with a pair of TV sets, one of which had a fancy motorized soundbar retracting from its bottom. Both models have so far remained exclusive to India, where they support a bunch of local streaming services, aside from Prime Video, though the Netflix app was a notable omission. That's changed now as OnePlus is bringing the app to its TV range via a system update, while newer units will ship with Netflix preinstalled. The company has also introduced a redesigned remote controller with a dedicated button for the new app.
We knew this was coming. Following countless reports since 2018 leading up to a high-res photo posted by OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau himself, the OnePlus TV was all but confirmed for today's launch event. Now we have confirmation: the first smart television by OnePlus has been unveiled exclusively for the Indian market, and we have all the interesting details.
Rumors and reports about the upcoming OnePlus smart television have been rolling across our desks since the company first confirmed its plans a year ago. Since then we've learned about some hardware features to expect, and saw the official OnePlus TV name confirmed, and now we finally have our first real look at the TV itself.
We're just over a week away from the probable unveiling of the OnePlus TV, but as is customary at the company, little tidbits are being shared in the lead-up. The latest comes in a tweet from CEO Pete Lau and features integration between a phone and the TV that will allow for easier text entry.
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Earlier today, a regional vice president for OnePlus tweeted out details regarding the hotly anticipated OnePlus TV, revealing that it will come in a 55" size (among others, most likely), and the 55" version will sport a QLED panel. Also, although we were pretty sure that the OnePlus TV would be "smart" thanks to Android TV based on prior leaks, @androidtv_rumor confirms that Google has just certified a new device named "Dosa."
There have been rumors of a OnePlus TV for ages, but now it's really, finally about to happen. The company has been dropping tidbits of info since confirming the device earlier this month. We're used to the company's phone getting good update support, and CEO Pete Lau says we can expect the same from the TV. The Android TV platform will get updates for "at least three years."
OnePlus has been publicly working on a TV for more than a year now, and according to a recent announcement, it may finally materialize this September. The company has revealed that the OnePlus TV will be available in India first following a September launch, and the date curiously corresponds with another recent leak. According to Max J (@Samsung_News_), the company has a trio of dates marked on its calendar: an India-specific event on September 26th, a US/EU event planned for October 10th, and formal "Sale" on October 15th — though we aren't sure if all these dates are for the OnePlus TV, or may include other products.
OnePlus has been teasing its upcoming Android TV for quite some time now. We already know it's slated for release later this year and that it should come with multiple screen sizes. Today, the company officially revealed the device's logo and confirmed its name — after a year-long competition, the best it could come up with was OnePlus TV.
OnePlus entered the smartphone market with a bang when it launched its "flagship killer" back in 2014. While the company still sells phones for less than other competing flagships, it's now an established player. With smartphone growth slowly declining, OnePlus has decided on a new market to disrupt: television sets. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has already revealed that he has a TV in the making, and further information has now leaked that points to multiple screen sizes.
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- OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has provided more details in an interview with PCMag. He said the TV will be something like a smart home hub, capable of answering voice commands and controlling other devices. The TV will use an operating system from a "big, mainstream provider," and delivering updates will be a priority.
OnePlus has never ventured outside of the smartphone market, though it came close to releasing a smartwatch. This is now changing, as OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has announced that a TV product is in development.