TECH

OnePlus Z/Nord: US market set to get the short end of the stick again

OnePlus has confirmed the imminent launch of its upcoming mid-range phone. The phone is expected to be the OnePlus Z or OnePlus Nord, and will be a spiritual successor to the OnePlus X. Sadly, though, a US release looks to be in doubt.
It's no secret that OnePlus is set to launch a third smartphone this year. Unlike the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro, however, the upcoming device ⁠—the OnePlus Z/Nord⁠—is slated to be an affordable offering, hearkening to the release of the OnePlus X back in 2015. Sadly, it would seem that the US may be getting the short end of the stick.
In an official press release on the OnePlus Forums, CEO Pete Lau confirmed that the Chinese company is set to launch a brand new, affordable smartphone. There's a caveat, though:
As we have always done when we try something new, we are going to start relatively small with this new product line by first introducing it in Europe and India.
It's carefully worded to imply that initial availability is what's outlined, opening up the probability of a future release of the phone in the US. The very next line puts that in doubt, however. 
But don’t worry, we’re also looking to bring more affordable smartphones to North America in the near future as well.
Simply put, it'd be a surprise if the OnePlus Z/Nord was released in the US. A pleasant surprise, however. OnePlus seems to have adopted a funky availability policy. The US got the OnePlus 7 Pro but not the OnePlus 7, then got the OnePlus 7T but not the OnePlus 7T Pro. The US market as a whole seems to be getting shafted in the mid-range, with OEMs like Samsung and Motorola having a history of ignoring the market entirely in that segment. The OnePlus Z/Nord looks set to continue that trend, and that's a shame.

by Ricci Rox