By keeping the launch India-only, OnePlus can focus on a massive and rapidly growing market, test new features in a less regulated environment and avoid the crazy number of patent disputes and complex legal hurdles that are super common in the US and Europe.
Plus, let’s not forget how strict these markets are when it comes to data privacy – think GDPR in Europe – and how often tech companies end up stuck in legal messes over algorithms or features that process personal data. Skipping these regions could save OnePlus a ton of time, money and headaches.
Still, the phone itself is very tempting. And if you are seriously considering getting your hands on it, importing might be your only option. But even then, you’ll need to be careful. The biggest issue? Network incompatibility.
Phones are made with specific cellular bands and frequencies for their target markets. So if you grab the Indian variant and try to use it on AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon in the US, there is a chance you’ll run into problems – like poor or no signal, slower speeds or missing 5G support altogether. And that’s definitely not ideal, right?
OnePlus 13s: a closer look at the specs and features
The OnePlus 13s in Black Velvet. | Image credit – OnePlus
That said, let’s dive into what makes the OnePlus 13s interesting. It has a 6.3-inch display, which definitely counts as small by today’s standards – especially when you think about how most phones from China now push beyond 6.5 inches.
The panel supports up to 1600 nits of peak brightness and an adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate. One feature I really like is Aqua Touch Glove Mode. It’s pretty self-explanatory: you can use the phone even when it is wet or while wearing gloves.
- Black Velvet
- Pink Satin
- Green Silk
The phone will be available in three colors. | Image credit – OnePlus
On the back, you’ll find two cameras – a 50 MP main and a 50 MP telephoto. Up front, there is a 32 MP selfie camera with autofocus.
The battery is surprisingly big for a phone this size – 5,850 mAh – and it supports 80W SuperVOOC charging. OnePlus is promising impressive battery life and with that size, I totally believe it.
There is also a new hardware feature worth noting: the Plus Key. This is OnePlus’ first step toward building a personalized AI experience. With it, you can activate something called Plus Mind – basically a space to store stuff that’s important to you.
So, Plus Mind is launching first with the OnePlus 13s and is coming to the OnePlus 13 sometime later. However, no timeline has been shared just yet. But one thing is clear – it is not coming to devices in the US and Europe.
