OnePlus 9R, 9/Pro plus OnePlus Watch likely to be launched in mid-March

Damien Wilde | Mar 1 2021 - 4:30 am PT

It looks as though the OnePlus 9 series is set to arrive sooner than expected, with a likely mid-March launch event for the upcoming smartphone series plus the long-rumored OnePlus Watch.

New details have emerged alongside a dedicated page on the official OnePlus website stating that “Something new is on the horizon” with a further “Stay tuned, March 8” message dropping a huge hint that this is when the actual launch event for the OnePlus 9 series will be confirmed. It’s likely that OnePlus will simply confirm the event date on March 8 — something the firm has been known to do as they tease up the actual unveiling.

That’s not all though, as we have a greater insight into what will be unveiled at the OnePlus 9 launch event courtesy of tipster Ishan Agarwal and 91Mobiles. The latest information suggests that OnePlus will be lifting the covers off the OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro, and an affordable OnePlus 9R. These smartphones will be joined by the firms second wearable — after the recent OnePlus Band — the OnePlus Watch.

We previously were led to believe that the OnePlus 9R would be the “9E” and even the “9 Lite.” It looks as though it is now set to have the “9R” moniker, although it’s not entirely clear what that “R” stands for in this instance. This will be the first-ever extension of a mainline series with a more affordably focused device, which will supposedly come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chipset, 8GB of RAM, a 6.5-inch 90Hz display, plus a 5,000mAh battery according to Agarwal.

The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro as you would expect are launching as the true flagship devices for the BBK-owned firm. We already know thanks to leaks that a Hasselblad co-developed lens setup will be present. While the rest of the specifications practically write themselves, we expect the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, at least 8GB of RAM, a 120Hz display refresh rate, and 65W fast charging.

Naturally, the OnePlus 9 Pro will be the marquee smartphone and will launch with the highest specifications. That likely means a display resolution bump to QHD+ rather than FHD+ and some camera extras that are not yet known. An exact launch date for the OnePlus 9R, 9, and 9 Pro is uncertain, but we’d imagine it will be within a few weeks of the aforementioned teaser posts. We guess we’ll just have to wait until March 8 to learn more.