OnePlus 3: Everything we know about specs, release date, pricing and availability

OnePlus is getting ready to launch its fourth smartphone, an exciting event for the young brand's fervent followers. The OnePlus lineup (One, 2, X and now 3) is known for challenging larger, better-known competitors with hardware whose middle-to-high specs come in at much lower prices than your typical top-dollar superphone. For some, the OnePlus 3 will battle the iPhone SE, just-announced Motorola G4 phones, Nexus 6P, and maybe
even the upmarket LG G5 or Samsung Galaxy S7.
Here are the most important things we know so far.

The name's a sure thing

OnePlus is already using the name OnePlus 3 on its public channels, so there's no dangling question mark there.

The OnePlus 3 will launch over VR

Just like last year, OnePlus is going to announce its next phone in virtual reality. Specifically, in outer space, focusing on a futuristic OnePlus headquarters/space station called The Loop. In anticipation of this VR launch, the phonemaker is shipping 30,000 Loop VR headsets to fans for free -- and at the time of writing, they're already out of stock.

VR-watchers can buy it first

OnePlus also announced that people who watch the keynote in VR will get first dibs ordering the phone directly from the Loop headset. Everyone else will have to wait. OnePlus didn't say for how long, but the company is (in)famous for hosting limited sales windows to both drum up excitement and control a more limited supply than competitors.

It'll launch by June

In February, we found out first that OnePlus would reveal the OnePlus 3 by June, and so far, the timeline works out.

Getting one of these Loop VR headsets puts you at the front of the line for ordering the OnePlus 3 phone first. OnePlus

It'll look different than the OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X

If you're worried that the OnePlus 3 will rehash 2015's two models, pause your fretting. Co-founder Carl Pei told CNET in February that this forthcoming flagship will feature a "new design."
According to an image posted by Evan Blass, now with Venture Beat -- who has built a reputation for reliably breaking stories through his Twitter handle @evleaks -- the OnePlus 3 looks like it has a silvery metal build and some detailing that's reminiscent of the HTC 10.
You can see the signature OnePlus notifications slider along the phone's left edge.

The OnePlus 3 could have an AMOLED screen and 3,000mAh battery

Blass' tweet also claims that the OnePlus 3 will have a screen using AMOLED display technology (versus an LCD screen), a material that's known for saving battery while boosting contrast (making blacks blacker). Rumors from around the Internet also point to a 3,000mAh battery and two versions of the phone: one with 32GB of internal storage and 4GB RAM and one with 64GB of storage and 6GB of RAM.

Other rumored specs

We don't know any of this yet for sure (because these are rumors), but hardware could also include:

• 5-inch, 1080p display
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• Android 6.0 Marshmallow software
• 16-megapixel rear camera
• 8-megapixel front-facing camera
• NFC (for mobile payments)

Pricing

Since the OnePlus 2 came it at about $330 and £240 (which converts to roughly AU$460), we can guess that the OnePlus 3 will land in about the same bracket. I personally wouldn't be surprised to see the price hike up a tad if it does wind up including more premium features, but undercutting the likes of Samsung and LG is too important to OnePlus' sales strategy to really see costs climb.