Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus has branched out into a handful of other segments in recent years, including protective cases for its phones, wireless earphones, and even backpacks. The company is set to soon a new product line in markets where it operates, the OnePlus TV, after confirming that it was in development late last year. A new report now shows that the TV range could run the Android TV platform for smart TV functionality. Additionally, the report suggests that the TV range could come in sizes varying from 43 inches to 75 inches.
The OnePlus TV, which was firstback in late 2018, has been in development for close to a year now. A new report bysuggests that the launch could be close, thanks to aon Bluetooth SIG. Furthermore, the models are listed as ‘unique Android TV’, which means that the TVs could run on the Android TV platform.
The listing further tips that variants of the TV are planned for launch in China, India, and the United States, and that the TV could be available in various sizes ranging from 43 inches to 75 inches. The 43-inch variant appears to be set to launch only in India, while the 75-inch variant is listed as bound only for China and the US. The model numbers in the listing also point to the fact that there could be more than one type of TV launched, and that all of these variants will be available in multiple sizes.
The ‘unique Android TV’ tag is a bit confusing, since it suggests that the TV could run on theplatform but also have some customisations made specially by OnePlus for its TVs. Alternatively, it could be a completely fresh smart TV platform built on top of Android open-source framework, as is the case with many small TV manufacturers. The TVs are also likely to be LED TVs, and could be priced competitively rather than positioned as premium products.
OnePlus itself started out as a manufacturer of affordable flagship smartphones, with early branding calling the OnePlus One a ‘flagship killer’. The company has since grown in profile and stature, and its latest() now has a starting price of Rs. 48,999, which comes quite close to the pricing of competing options from Samsung and Apple. The OnePlus TV range is likely to follow the early strategies of the company, rather than its newer ones.