OnePlus 4 Release Date Rumors: Key Feature Upgrades to Expect from Next Android Flagship Killer

What will come next following the well-received OnePlus 3? To be sure, the OnePlus 4 release date in 2017 will again unbox an Android-based flagship killer that will be a mix of the best available components, gorgeous gadget build and design plus the bonus of not necessarily breaking the bank. 

In a market largely dominated by Apple and Samsung, it is a wonder how OnePlus will continue to gain traction with its fourth flagship effort as reports indicate that the industry leaders plan to again disrupt the system. How the rumored OnePlus 4 will stack up against the competition?

Wanted: Build and design innovation

For the most part, the first three OnePlus generations played it safe as the devices were presented in the usual sexy and slim packaging previously seen with the offerings from Apple and Samsung. The fourth edition will need to be a big departure from its predecessors if OnePlus hopes to continue luring in switchers.

A rewrite of the OnePlus playbook is required in light of the speculations that the Samsung Galaxy flagships will make the curved double-edge display as standard and Apple will bring back the all-glass device profile first seen with the iPhone 4/4S but with expected twists.

OLED display era

Also, the flagship redesigns to be ushered in next year will surely make AMOLED or OLED panel as the display canon. If the next iPhone will indeed boast of an OLED front panel and the Galaxy S8 is tipped to render compatible contents in 4K resolution with the crispness only made possible by Super AMOLED tech, what will be answer coming from OnePlus?

The safe bet is at least "a QHD AMOLED panel," KnowYourMobile.com said in a new report.

Combo flagships

For its flagship thrust in 2017, Samsung is said to focus on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note, both bearing curved double-edge AMOLED panel. The same is expected from Apple as the company's all-glass handsets are seen to rock and roll as the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

Will OnePlus unleash a direct challenge by releasing the OnePlus 4 with a supersized sibling aptly named as OnePlus 4 Max?

Specced-up

The 2016 flagships from Apple and Samsung are far from perfect but experts agree the devices are the best, the fastest and most powerful mobile computing tools to come out so far. And the storage capacity has become nearly unlimited - Samsung promises more than 256GB of built-in memory thanks to storage expansion feature while Apple now sells the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in 256GB editions.

The pressure is now on OnePlus to jam the OnePlus 4 with larger storage room and perhaps continue what it has started with the OnePlus 3 - RAM provision of no less than 6GB.

Pricing

To many, especially in the Android crowd, the premium pricing that came with the 2016 Apple and Samsung flagships are deal breakers (in some markets, price tags can go as high as $1000 or more). This is the area where OnePlus enjoys a huge advantage, which likely will be sustained with the OnePlus 4.

As the Google Pixel phones are rumored to start at $650, the OnePlus 4 will certainly attract more buys with a lower sticker, hopefully no more than $500 a pop.