Oneplus 3 to launch in Q2, to be drastically different from predecessors

He also said the new phone will feature a “new design”, which implies a departure from its predecessor, the OnePlus 2.

Chinese startup OnePlus will release its 2016 flagship smartphone – likely to be named OnePlus 3 – in the second quarter of the year, co-founder Carl Pei has said.

Pei declined to disclose many details about the upcoming smartphone, which will be the China-based vendor’s fourth model and new flagship device.

According to the interview, Pei says the OnePlus 3 will offer “at least”, what CNET calls the “special feeling” generated by the first iteration of the affordable handset. Last year, the company launched the OnePlus X for many global markets, although, the device lacked specific LTE bands to allow it to work properly in the US. The company got so much attention with the introduction of the Oneplus One.

OnePlus has garnered a huge following by competing with the Android big guns with high-spec smartphones available at around half the cost.

We’ve already heard a few whispers about the OnePlus 3, including reports that it could pack a Snapdragon 820 chip and a 1080p display. Pei believes his company provides a “better buying process” than traditional methods.

Missing features, like NFC and microSD support, an iffy camera, and hot temperatures are among the most common customer complaints levied against the OnePlus 2. But, it took some time for each to step out from behind the curtain: about five months for the OnePlus 2, and three months for the OnePlus X.