OnePlus is working towards the launch of the OnePlus 12, its next flagship phone which is expected to launch early next year. But the company has just announced some details of how the next phone will look different from the OnePlus 11, and one aspect—the Alert Slider so beloved of OnePlus devotees—could be controversial.
To be clear, it’s not that OnePlus is killing it off: there have been handsets with no switch and that certainly caused rumblings among the faithful. The Alert Slider is a neat OnePlus specialty which lets you instantly switch between Ring, Vibrate and Silent, without even looking at the phone. It’s a tactile delight and a justly popular element.
With the OnePlus 12, it’s moving to the other side of the phone, so it will be on the left rather than the right edge for the first time. Expect instant vocal complaints from users whose muscle memory is challenged. Also expect these noises to fade away quickly as everyone gets used to the new position.
OnePlus wouldn’t make the change lightly. The company explains that it’s so that it can introduce a new integrated antenna and this means the Slider has to move. The result is to improve gaming, OnePlus says. Here’s the full explanation:
“Based on internal testing, it has been determined that the optimal position for gaming antennas is between the forefingers of the user when the phone is held in landscape orientation. However, the space is currently occupied by the Alert Slider on the OnePlus 11. By relocating the Alert Slider to the opposite side of the phone, better gaming antennas can be deployed on the OnePlus 12.”
This is all designed to reduce latency because, as the company explains, “A balance between better antenna signal performance and the presence of the Alert Slider is achieved on the OnePlus 12. According to the lab test data by OnePlus, the gaming antenna signal can be improved by 3dB, with the game latency reduced by 15%.”
It’s not the only change. There’s what’s called a Flowy Emerald colorway, “harmoniously bridging technology and wonders of the natural world.” The design team was inspired by the Dart River, and wanted to bring “the same elegance that flowed through its braided channels,” to the phone. The photo shows a patterned finish which could be gorgeous.
The company has also confirmed that the periscope telephoto camera will have a 3x zoom equivalent and that the collaboration with Hasselblad continues with “the 4th Gen Hasselblad Camera for Mobile.”
It looks great, and, if it performs well and fans take to the new position of the Alert Slider, could be a hit for the company.
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