The upcoming OnePlus 6T may be the first OnePlus phone to work on the Verizon network, according to PCMag. Despite its impeccable software support and top-of-the-line hardware, OnePlus devices are yet to gain a foothold in the US market because of a lack of carrier relationships. Getting into carrier stores allows users to opt-in for monthly payment plans, which help a vast majority of Americans who buy their phones. In the US, wider carrier availability is essential a phone to succeed as 85-88 per cent of US phones are sold on carrier shelves. It is virtually impossible for a device to reach the masses without carrier support. If the T-Mobile deal goes through, that'll help the OnePlus 6T's cause greatly.
OnePlus phones have only run on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks until now
Verizon has only recently started accepting unlocked LTE-only phones such as the Asus ZenFone V as they still use a 2G-based CDMA network. The Verizon variant of the OnePlus 6T would probably be an LTE-only phone on Verizon. PCmag's sources say that the 6T will have LTE Band 13, which is essential for Verizon compatibility. Previously, the HTC One A9 and the ZTE Axon 7 were initially Verizon compatible on paper, but HTC withdrew support for Verizon's network, and the ZTE phone became wildly unreliable when Verizon pushed various software updates through its system.
With flagships devices getting more and more expensive, there is a dire need of ~$500 devices in the market. Even the 'more affordable' flagships such as the LG G7 and iPhone XR are both about $750. The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Google Pixel 3 are $799 and it only gets higher after that. Then there's a big gap in current models before dropping to the $480 Moto Z3. The OnePlus 6T will make a great addition to the market as it sits in the price to performance sweet spot for many people.
News Source: PCmag
About the author: Anil has been a lifelong tech enthusiast and has worked a variety of jobs before joining the Wccftech team in 2018. His primary responsibilities include reporting on all things in the Android and mobile gaming sphere. He is also passionate about PC hardware, obscure music and internet culture. He also has a thing for addressing himself in third person as an exercise in self-awareness.
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