Verizon will sell the OnePlus 8 for $799 starting April 29th, marking the first time that the carrier has directly offered a OnePlus device. Phones from OnePlus have supported Verizon’s network dating back to the OnePlus 6T, and Verizon certified them for “bring your own device” use by allowing customers to pop a SIM card in and get going. But now, OnePlus will get the full backing of Verizon’s retail presence — online, through the My Verizon app, and presumably and in stores once we’re all able to visit those again. Verizon says this launch is the start of “a new relationship” between the companies. 

The OnePlus 8 is 5G-ready and supports Verizon’s ultra-fast millimeter wave (mmW) data speeds, which can surpass 1Gbps in some locations. In fact, on Verizon, the phone is technically called the “OnePlus 8 5G UW,” a name that I will never, ever acknowledge again. Notably, this is the only version of the OnePlus 8 with millimeter wave capabilities; the regular unlocked hardware won’t get you Verizon 5G. The OnePlus 8 5G UW is also optimized for Verizon’s low-band 5G network, when the company gets around to launching that. 

Verizon is selling the OnePlus 8 in either black or silver, with the latter being an exclusive. The cheaper $699 base version of the OnePlus 8 (with 128GB/8GB) is only available from OnePlus or Amazon, though it also works just fine on Verizon. 

Verizon isn’t the first major US carrier to get behind OnePlus. T-Mobile kicked things off in 2018, followed by Sprint with the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G last year. OnePlus has continued to offer its devices unlocked for direct purchase; remember that the carrier versions always come with carrier bloatware and preinstalled apps. 

And you might’ve noticed that I mentioned Amazon earlier. This time around, OnePlus will sell unlocked variants of both the OnePlus 8 Pro and OnePlus 8 through Amazon US, giving consumers another option for getting either phone. The company has used Amazon for international sales previously, but now it’s extending that partnership to the US.