OnePlus 3 release date

The latest news and rumours

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ONEPLUS 3

Here’s everything we know so far about the OnePlus 3, including the OnePlus 3 release date, specs, features, and price and whether or not you'll need an invite

The OnePlus 3 is coming. We've known that for a while, but we now have an official release date – June 14. The unveiling will take place in VR thanks to Loop VR and you won't need an invite to pick up the affordable Android offering.

OnePlus provided one of the most interesting phones of 2014 in the OnePlus One, and two of the most interesting phones of 2015 in the OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X. It stands to reason, then, that we're looking forward to 2016's OnePlus 3 rather a lot.

The Chinese brand turns out well-built, well-specced Android phones with one of the most beloved Android UI customisations around - all for around half the price of your average flagship phone. We're expecting the same basic combination of price and performance from the OnePlus 3, although obviously scaled up to meet the sky-high standards set out by the Samsung Galaxy S6, HTC 10 and others. Leaked images of the phone appear to show few changes from the OnePlus 2 on the front, but the back appears to sport a similar design to the HTC One M9 – albeit black.

Specific details concerning the OnePlus 3 have been hard to come by up until recently, but rumours and alleged leaks have begun to appear. Rumours about the device include an upgrade to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, a new metallic design, and a Snapdragon 820 mobile processor. We also recently saw an AnTuTu benchmark readout that listed the specs as follows:

• Model number: A3000
• Android 6.0.1
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• Adreno 530 GPU
• 4GB RAM
• 32GB storage
• Full HD 1,920 x 1,080 pixel display
• 16-megapixel rear-facing camera
• 8-megapixel front-facing camera

Meanwhile, a more recent Twitter post by reputed leaker Evan Blass tipped the following specs:

• Model number: A3000
• Android 6.0.1 (OxygenOS 3.1.0)
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processor
• Adreno 530 GPU
• 64GB storage
• 5.5-inch screen
• 1,920 x 1,080 pixel display
• 15-megapixel rear camera
• NFC

And a separate leak from Winfuture, citing specs revealed on Geekbench, suggest the handset willl actually feature 6GB of RAM, not 4GB. That's class-leading by today's standards, although we're not sure if that much RAM is really necessary. Of course, both could be the case. The OnePlus 2 came in both 3GB and 4GB iterations, for example.

We've also heard that the handset could price at 1,999 Yuan in China, which translates to around £210 – not bad, if it's true. In any case, there’s plenty more to expect from the OnePlus 3, so read on for all the latest on the next OnePlus phone.

Here’s what to expect:

LATEST ONEPLUS 3 NEWS

When does the OnePlus 3 come out? June 14 2016

What’s new about the OnePlus 3? Android 6.0, Snapdragon 820

How much will the OnePlus 3 cost? £220-250, probably

Watch – Trusted Explains: Buying a new smartphone

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Related: Snapdragon 820 vs Exynos 8890

ONEPLUS 3 RELEASE DATE UK, US & INDIA – WHEN WILL THE NEW ONEPLUS PHONE COME OUT?

Usually we’re clueless about release details for smartphones prior to launch, but not with the OnePlus 3. OnePlus global director Carl Pei already confirmed in an interview with Cnet that the OnePlus 3 will be here “by the end of the second quarter”.

We're expecting to see the OnePlus 3 unveiled on June 14, with orders beginning on the same day.

Related: Best Android Smartphones 2016

OnePlus 3 Design – What will it look like?

We've also seen some slightly iffy renders of the device, but the veracity of these no longer matter so much thanks to the subsequent appearance of images of actual OnePlus 3 hardware in-the-wild. These photos - which have come from three different sources - appear to reveal a device that borrows a few things from the HTC design playbook. They also hint at the return of the fingerprint sensor from the OnePlus 2.

IMAGE: HTTP://STATIC.TRUSTEDREVIEWS.COM/94/000038F40/0730/ONEPLUS-3.JPG

SHOULD I WAIT FOR THE ONEPLUS 3?

It’s usually pretty easy to recommend OnePlus phones because they’re so cheap – although the invitation system tends to scupper that. However, this year is playing host to some seriously formidable smartphones, so OnePlus faces stiff competition.

Some of the top-tier smartphones on offer right now include the Samsung Galaxy S7, the LG G5, and the Nexus 6P – and they’re just from the Android camp. There’s also the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, both of which have received strong critical reception.

The advantage OnePlus has is, of course, its wallet-friendly pricing. But the Huawei P9, only recently launched, boasts similarly high-end specs and a similarly mid-range price point.

If you’re waiting for the OnePlus 3, we’d recommend seriously thinking about whether you’re also willing to go through the frustrating purchase process.