OnePlus is working on the launch of OnePlus 12, its next flagship which is expected to launch early next year. But the company has just announced some details about how the next phone will differ from the OnePlus 11, and one aspect — the Alert Slider that’s so beloved of OnePlus devotees — may be controversial.
OnePlus 12 revealed.
To be clear, it’s not that OnePlus is killing it: there have been devices without a switch, and that certainly got the faithful buzzing. The Alert Slider is a neat OnePlus specialty that lets you instantly switch between Ring, Vibrate and Silent without even looking at the phone. It’s a tactile delight and a justly popular item.
With the OnePlus 12, it moves to the other side of the phone, so it will be on the left rather than the right side for the first time. Expect instant vocal complaints from users whose muscle memory is challenged. Also, expect these noises to disappear quickly as everyone gets used to the new location.
OnePlus wouldn’t make the switch lightly. The company explains that this is so that it can insert a new integrated antenna, and this means that the Slider has to be moved. The result is to improve gaming, says OnePlus. Here is the full explanation:
Games on OnePlus 12.
“Based on internal testing, it was determined that the optimal location for the gaming antennas is between the user’s pointers when the phone is held in landscape orientation. However, the space is currently occupied by the Alert Slider on the OnePlus 11. By moving the Alert Slider to the opposite side of the phone, better gaming antennas can be deployed on the OnePlus 12.”
All of this is designed to reduce latency because, as the company explains, “OnePlus 12 strikes a balance between better antenna signal performance and the presence of the Alert Slider. According to the laboratory test data from OnePlus, the signal of the gaming antenna can be improved by 3dB, with the game latency reduced by 15%.
It’s not the only change. There’s what’s called the Flowy Emerald color, “harmoniously bridging technology and the wonders of the natural world.” The design team was inspired by the River Dart and wanted to bring “the same elegance that flowed through its braided channels” to the phone. The photo shows a patterned finish that could be great.
The company also confirmed that the periscope telephoto camera will have a 3x zoom equivalent and that the partnership with Hasselblad continues with the ‘4th Gen Hasselblad Camera for Mobile’.
It looks great, and if it performs well and fans catch on to the Alert Slider’s new location, it could be a hit for the company.
