technology news: The OnePlus TV: All the rumors in one place (Updated August 29)

Update, August 29, 2019 (4:48PM EDT): There's more information on the OnePlus TV's software and update schedule. Check out the article below to learn more!

Original article: We knew back even before the release of the OnePlus 6T that OnePlus would release a television at some point in 2019, thanks to CEO Pete Lau revealing the product. Now, it looks like the first major product from the company that's not a smartphone is right around the corner: the OnePlus TV.

As usual, OnePlus is being very coy about what the TV does, why it's different from other TVs, price, availability, etc. However, it has let us in on a few details related to the TV so we at least have a slight idea of what to expect.

Check out all the OnePlus TV rumors we know of below. Be sure to bookmark this page and visit often as more information drops!

OnePlus TV: Name and release date

We know for certain that the first television from the Chinese company will be called the OnePlus TV. It's not the most imaginative name ever, but then again most TVs don't have very imaginative names.

The company revealed the official name — as well as the official logo — on its support forums at OnePlus.com on August 14, 2019.

Check out the logo below:

OnePlus forums

Later on in the month, Pete Lau took to those same forums to reveal that the OnePlus TV will launch sometime in September 2019. He didn't elaborate further on an exact date but did say that it will hit India first. See the below section on price and availability for more on release locations!

OnePlus TV: Design

OnePlus TV Teaser Image OnePlus

OnePlus' design has always been all about minimalism and simplicity. As such, you shouldn't expect a crazy design or some unique, wacky gimmicks with the TV. Instead, it's very likely the television will look similar to every other modern TV.

In a teaser image on the OnePlus support forums, we do get a slight glimpse at what appears to be the bottom of the TV. You can see it in the image above.

From the teaser image, it seems that the OnePlus logo will be at the center of the TV's bottom bezel, much like many other flat-screen televisions from other brands. It also appears there will be a metal or at least metal-looking cylinder that will act as the base of the TV. Presumably, you will also be able to hang the TV on the wall using a standard wall mount.

Once again, it's best to assume the OnePlus TV won't turn any heads just by looking at it. What's most likely going to set the product apart from the competition is what it can do, which we cover in the next section.

It's likely that the OnePlus TV will feature a minimal design in order to be as unobtrusive as possible in your home.

Even though OnePlus hasn't divulged much information itself, the TV line has already appeared on the Bluetooth SIG website, and the listing may have given us a ton of information about design. The Bluetooth SIG filing mentions that it's an LED TV rather than a TV based on LCD tech, and packs Bluetooth 5.0 support. Furthermore, the listing reveals almost 40 model numbers, and it looks like these model numbers give away the screen sizes and intended markets.

For example, the model number 43Q2IN suggests that this is a 43-inch model intended for India. There are also model numbers like 75Q2CN (potentially a 75-inch model for China) and 65Z3US (suggesting a 65-inch model for the U.S.).

If the model numbers are indeed giving away screen sizes and locales, then it looks like India will be the only country to get 43-inch models. It also means that the country misses out on 75-inch models, with China and the U.S. gaining them. All three countries will get the 55-inch and 65-inch options if the naming scheme works out though.

OnePlus TV: Specs and features

The word that's come up nearly every time the company has mentioned the OnePlus TV has been "smart." Obviously, a smart TV is nothing new — most people own a smart TV of some kind.

However, Pete Lau's statement when announcing the release month of the TV went a little more in-depth on just how smart this TV will be:

I'm a firm believer that TV will not only become the center of our smart home, but also the center of our daily smart social hub. With the implementation and increasing maturity of other advanced technology such as 5G, AI, VR, and AR, I'm excited about what our lives will look like in the future. The OnePlus TV is an important step towards OnePlus being involved in the world of IoT and interconnectivity. It's also proof of our commitment in continuing our exploration of how we can improve the world around us by designing a connected human experience.

The important words there are "smart social hub." This leads us to believe that the OnePlus TV won't just be about turning on the latest episode of a Netflix series. Instead, the TV will be more like a hub for our smart home and — somehow — our social networks.

It's possible the OnePlus TV will be like a big Google Nest Hub that you happen to hang on the wall.

In a way, it sounds like the OnePlus TV could be a really big Google Nest Hub, something that can control all the aspects of your smart home through either voice commands or touch (in this case, "touch" will likely be done using a remote control).

We are nearly certain that the operating system powering the OnePlus TV will be Android TV or some customized version of Android. Early on in the rumor cycle for the device, Lau mentioned that the TV will run on "a big, mainstream provider," which to us sounds like Android TV. If that is the case, there will already be millions of apps to download on the TV once you get it, which will certainly be nice.

In an interview with NDTV, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirmed the OnePlus TV will have a QLED panel. In a separate interview, Lau confirmed the TV will feature a 4K resolution. The 4K resolution is reportedly only noticeable when watching 4K-ready content, however — the OnePlus TV sticks to 1080p while in TV menus, according to Android TV Rumors. It seems that's a limitation with Android TV, however.

As for software, He also confirmed the OnePlus TV will run a custom, "improved" UI on top of Android TV.

Android TV Rumors also noted the OnePlus TV will feature the quad-core MediaTek MT5670 chipset, Mali-G51 MP3 GPU, and 2GB of RAM. The MT5670 seems to be an unannounced processor, since there's no public information on it yet.

As for software, Lau confirmed the OnePlus TV will run a custom, "improved" UI on top of Android TV. Taking to the OnePlus forums, Lau also confirmed the OnePlus TV will get updates for at least three years. That's a solid commitment, particularly since people don't upgrade their smartphones as much or as fast as they do their TVs.

OnePlus TV: Price and availability

We know for certain that the OnePlus TV will land in India first. According to the company, it could also launch in North America, Europe, and China. However, there could be some regulatory delays for those other countries.

Price, as of now, is a mystery. Knowing OnePlus, though, it will likely be cheaper than we expect it to be. The company could take the same approach as it did with its original OnePlus One smartphone and sell the device at cost or even at a loss at first just to get the units moving. Then, when the OnePlus TV 2 lands sometime later, increase the price a bit.

What do you think? Are you ready to hang a OnePlus TV on your wall? Let us know in the comments!