This morning, OnePlus made some big announcements: the OnePlus 11 smartphone and the Buds Pro 2. All in all, a good morning to the Oppo phone maker after months of teasing with the products. But as the company looks to reassert itself under new ownership and is deep in the throes of a weakening mobile market, it revealed it has a few more tricks waiting in the wings.
A while ago I would have scratched my head at the idea of entering the tablet market at such a mature stage, but we live in weird times here. Along with PCs, the category received a boost at the start of the pandemic.
More people staying at home = more people looking for nightlife options, and between streaming and casual gaming, they’re a good fit – not to mention the shift to home offices. The latest numbers are mixed. Apple has made some gains and overall market numbers are flat or slightly up, depending on which analyst firm you prefer.
It’s hard to say much about the OnePlus Pad right now. The company really teases the information, as it usually does. I admit it’s hard to get too excited about a new tablet in 2023, but I’ve also come to rely on the company’s ability to make a good product at an affordable price. Of course, this is an ecosystem game and the Pad will liberally borrow design cues from the rest of the line.
Image Credits: OnePlus
“We believe that the Internet of Everything is the future, and users will demand fast, smooth, and streamlined experiences across multiple scenarios,” said President and COO, Kinder Liu. “By entering the tablet industry, we hope that OnePlus’ unique and industry-leading fast and smooth experience will bring more vitality and possibilities, and provide users with the best choices.” So much for tempered expectations…
The Pad has an 11.61-inch display with an impressive 144Hz refresh rate. Like the new phone, it supports Dolby Vision and Atmos. Inside is a Dimensity 9000 – a MediTek chip that was announced in 2021. That’s paired with 12GB of RAM and a 9510mAh battery, promising over 12 hours of viewing time. The company will also offer a keyboard case and stylus for sale.
Here’s what the company has to say:
Halo green is an iconic glow of OnePlus Pad. Expansive and stunning, this Halo Green also combines the vibrancy of life with the vastness of space. In particular, the centered camera frees users from holding discomfort and position shift when taking pictures. OnePlus Pad encased in a Unified Metal Body that incorporates a 2.5D curved glass – the first time it’s used in a tablet – and the curvaceous frame design makes the device feel thinner and easier to hold. The super slim 6.54mm bezel provides an 88% screen-to-body ratio. Overall design of OnePlus Pad in accordance with ergonomics, so that users can hold it comfortably for a long time without fatigue.
Image Credits: OnePlus
Ditto for another product category, although this one is red-hot right now. The company’s upcoming mechanical keyboard is part of a recently announced “OnePlus Featuring” line, which appears to be built around branding/third party collaboration. (Not calling it “OnePlus x” feels like a missed opportunity). That’s certainly the case with the unwieldy name OnePlus Featuring Keyboard 81 Pro, which is very similar to the Keychron Q1 with the telephone maker’s red color scheme. Not quite sure of the strategy here, although OnePlus has a good global distribution, and this is certainly easier than building a new mechanical keyboard from scratch.
More from OnePlus:
The OnePlus Featuring Keyboard 81 Pro is the first commercial product to be released worldwide from the OnePlus Featuring co-creation platform and is a fully customizable mechanical keyboard designed with Keychron technology. This high-performance mechanical keyboard offers overall comfort, functionality and durability.
The keyboard is compatible with MacOS, Windows and Linux (you can see the Mac/Windows switch above) and will work with future Android products. No firm pricing or availability for either yet.
