OnePlus has confirmed that its next smartphone of 2018, the OnePlus 6T, will have an in-display fingerprint sensor. The company has dubbed its implementation of the technology as “Screen Unlock,” according to CNET. “We unlock our phones multiple times a day, and Screen Unlock reduces the number of steps to complete the action. By adding this feature as an addition to other display unlocking options such as Face Unlock, users will have options to unlock the display in a way that is most efficient for them.”
Last week, purported packaging for the OnePlus 6T was leaked, seemingly confirming that the feature was on the way. The box also makes it clear that the 6T will look very close to the Oppo F9, so the notch from the OnePlus 6 will be downsized considerably. It has also been rumored that T-Mobile will sell the OnePlus 6T in the United States, marking the first major carrier deal that the company has landed in the country.
The upcoming phone’s tagline is apparently “unlock the speed.” To successfully authenticate your print, the display lights up a section where you rest your finger and then the phone reads your fingerprint from beneath the screen; that’s why this technology is only viable on OLED smartphones. LCDs aren’t thin enough. Adding all the necessary components have resulted in the 6T being .45mm thicker than the OnePlus 6, according to CNET’s report.
We’ve already seen in-display fingerprint sensors on other smartphones this year from companies including Vivo. The one downside compared to a traditional, dedicated scanner is speed; the in-display method is a bit slower than the fingerprint sensors you’ll find on Samsung, Google Pixel, and other phones — including the OnePlus 6 from earlier this year. (OnePlus has confirmed that the rear fingerprint sensor is going away in favor of the in-screen approach.) If you can’t deal with that, at least the company’s Face Unlock remains extremely fast.
Supposedly, OnePlus was hoping to include in-display fingerprint scanning on the OnePlus 5T. But “the technology wasn’t mature enough” to provide a good user experience, the company told CNET.
Comments
I wonder how OnePlus consumers feel about the company’s release cycle.
Sure, your phone doesn’t cost quite as much as other flagships, but by the time you receive it, you know it’ll be outdated within 5 months.
By thomasbdl on 09.10.18 10:00am
It’s a known cycle and similar to the iPhone, unless you always want the latest and greatest, you wait for the "T" (or "S") for the better phone.
By IamDefiler on 09.10.18 10:11am
I bought a OP6 a month ago, and while I am a tad jealous about the smaller notch on the 6T, I’m not upset with my purchase. I’ll be hanging onto my OP6 unless they make some kind of large, meaningful improvement, like a much better camera (I come from a line of Samsung phones, so the bar is set high).
That being said, while it does kind of suck overall, I knew what I was getting myself into.
By ProductFRED on 09.10.18 10:18am
Coming from Sammy, the one thing you will notice is the OP will be the fastest phone for the entire time you own it unlike Sammies that eventually slow down within a short period of time.
By IamDefiler on 09.10.18 12:24pm
yeah I’m still rocking my OP3 am on Oreo and I’m probably gonna get the Pie update (we’ll see about that but I’m pretty confident actually) and it’s still really speedy! I think they’re great update policy really helps with that and it’s really one of the main reasons why I’ll probably buy a OP again.
By nexus5 on 09.11.18 1:44pm
I only have a 3T and I’m not sure that I’ll opt for a OnePlus phone next time I buy, but how does a 6 months release cycle mean their phones are outdated more rapidly than any other flagship?
Like, if a brand only upgraded their flagships every 3 years, would that make it top of the line for its entire lifetime? No, it would still be outdated by the market’s standards within a year of its release.
Unless you legit care about having the "latest" from any given company for bragging rights or whatever, I don’t see how your reasoning works.
By elmagio on 09.10.18 10:20am
Sure, any phone will be outdated within a few months when you compare it to devices from other manufacturers.
But there are many people who are fans of a given brand or line of devices. A lot of people who own an iPhone, a Galaxy, a Pixel or a OnePlus tend to stick with the brand for years. That’s called brand loyalty. These people don’t care that much about what other manufacturers do.
I can’t help but think that releasing a new flagship every 6 months will end up upsetting a lot of your fanbase.
It’s not only about having the latest from your favorite manufacturer, it’s about resale value. A new model hurts the value of your current phone like crazy.
By thomasbdl on 09.10.18 1:19pm
I’ll give you the point on the resale value, hadn’t thought of that. I tend to stick with a phone long enough for its value to drop so much I might as well keep it or give it to a relative, but not everyone does that and OnePlus’ frequent flagships do mess with that.
By elmagio on 09.11.18 12:51pm
That said, OnePlus resale value holds a lot better than samsung or LG. A 5 month old OnePlus will lose about £100 off retail, while a Samsung or LG will be about £200-£300
By I'll take the blue pill. Cheers. on 09.11.18 3:46pm
Who cares. Something new and better being released doesn’t make the thing you bought any worse.
By Tuff on 09.10.18 10:54am
Honestly, it doesn’t really bother me. I’m happy with my phone and the price I paid. That’s all that matters.
By HTC864 on 09.10.18 10:56am
You’re not required to upgrade every 6 months. My 3t is still as fast as it was when I got it and it’ll probably last me another year.
By MrArthur on 09.10.18 11:53am
It’s a neverending story, wether we are talking 6 months or one year, before you know it a new device will be launched.
Would you feel better if after your purchase no new devices would be launched for 2 years or so??
Would that make you happier? Would make your device become better?
I realy don’t care. I just wait untill the time is right for me to buy another
By TaranQ on 09.10.18 11:58am
Yes (to the degree that any consumer device can make one ‘happy’)
I don’t buy every new iPhone, but I’m definitely aware when a new one comes out and the technical improvements that it has. In my ideal world, a new phone would only be released when I’m willing to upgrade so that I always have the newest and best available.
Then again I always wait 6+ months after a new phone launch to get them second hand and significantly cheaper, so my priority is always on practicality.
By 4ndrew on 09.10.18 12:16pm
Problem is that our whole kapitalistic world wants newer technological stuff at an increasing rate, always newer always better, that makes this whole race sometimes rather ridiculous.
The release newer devices because consumers want newer devices not because there is a good reason to release a new device. Sometimes they come up with the most crazy ideas like removing the headphone jack for example which doesn’t have ANY advantage it doesn’t speed up any development. I bet it’s not only because of hardware savings it was just an Apple idea (well maybe someone else was first at this) to do something bold and beacuse it’s Apple people defend it or even think it’s cool although it’s stupid at this point in time if you ask me.
For the rest let’s be honest no major improvements are made it’s mostly about the looks nowadays that’s why they concentrate on the big screens. Once the device is fully screen what’s gonna be next … foldable? I don’t know, like i said it’s a neverending story
By TaranQ on 09.11.18 3:17am
That’s not specific to capitalism. It’s human nature. And it is what has driven societal advances since caveman days. You’d better hope it doesn’t change. Eventually, our sun will go dark. And it’s the innate desire/need for advancement that will be the only hope humanity has for living beyond that time.
By Sam Dunham on 09.12.18 11:13am
Whether an updated model comes in 6 months or 12 months…the phone still works.I still have a OnePlus 3…doesn’t bother me one bit. It has 6GB RAM & a Snapdragon 820…it certainly isn’t "slow". It’s only an issue if you feel you NEED to have the latest model of everything. Something which is quite ridiculous.
By astroWZRD on 09.10.18 12:09pm
Even if you don’t feel like you always need the latest model, wouldn’t it make you a little disappointed to learn that you would have had a better device if you had waited a few weeks?
Granted, you can have that feeling with a phone that’s on a 12-month release cycle as well. But if you take preorders and shipping times into account, a 6-month release cycle means that you really only have a 4-month timeframe in which it’s safe to buy that phone and avoid that "What if" feeling.
By thomasbdl on 09.10.18 1:28pm
Nope. There will always be a new phone with better specs and features coming out in the future. I couldn’t imagine being so swept up in consumerism that the release of a future product would upset me when I’m happy with my current product.
By Autonomous_News on 09.10.18 2:58pm
Whereas with a 12 month release cycle, you could be buying a phone that’s already 10 months old. The quicker release cycle means everyone gets a better phone at time of purchase. Less waiting for the next one to come out.
By lsnus on 09.11.18 7:58am
is your camera still working? I’m also still rocking my OP3 but for like 3 or so month my back camera only takes blurry pictures (also the battery life which was fantastic is struggling quite a bit since I’m a heavy user but the dash charging works so well that I can look over that pretty well).
By nexus5 on 09.11.18 1:48pm
How does a new one being released mean the previous one is outdated? The previous phone is still the same phone. If they stopped making new phones for five years, would the OnePlus 6 no longer be outdated in 2023?
By StinkySocky on 09.10.18 12:22pm
Sure, the previous phone is still the same phone. But its value has dropped significantly overnight, because the new one is usually the same price.
A second-hand iPhone X could be sold for about 80% of its original value up until a few weeks ago. In two days, that’ll be down to 60%. And that’s for an iPhone, a device that has historically kept its value much longer than most other phones.
If you’re optimistic and apply these numbers to OnePlus devices, a pristine second-hand $529 OnePlus 6 could be sold for about $430. When the 6T is announced, that number will be down to $320. And only six months later, when the OnePlus 7 is announced, that’ll be $210.
So, if you bought the OnePlus 6 two months ago, its value will have plummeted to less than half what you paid for in the span of 8 months.
Like a lot of people, I always try to sell my current device to help cover the cost of a new one whenever I upgrade. I feel like this would be way harder with a OnePlus.
By thomasbdl on 09.10.18 1:41pm
I think you’re overselling this a bit. I consider myself an enthusiast, and even I don’t upgrade but once every 18 months or so. At that point, your phone is worth..a couple hundred bucks?
Mine goes into the drawer as an emergency phone, or to a parent/nephew/niece. I think this is a behavior that cuts across lots of folks, and it’s (IMO) more practical than dumping it on Swappa.
I’ve never bought a OnePlus, but it’s always on my shortlist. The short refresh cycle is what keeps it on that list, in fact. Truth is, no matter when you buy, you can be pretty sure the OnePlus will be up-to-date.
By Rubber Hell on 09.10.18 2:17pm
If you care about resale value that much buy an iPhone. Nobody I know sells their phone.
By lsnus on 09.11.18 8:01am