OnePlus is going to launch a TV

OnePlus has had a pretty successful run, with the company’s tagline, “Never Settle”, driving it to launch handsets that boast top-tier features without breaking the bank. And now OnePlus has its sights set on another market.

The company has recently confirmed that its next major step forward is going to be the domination of the living room. That’s right, OnePlus TV is a thing that’s happening. OnePlus’s announcement says that it has learned a lot about design, hardware, software, and more in its years creating smartphones, and as a result, sees the OnePlus TV as a natural next step.

Unfortunately, OnePlus’s announcement is pretty light. After the OnePlus TV name unveiling, the post then talks about how many fans of OnePlus devices there are out there in the world. The company does say the jump to OnePlus TV was made with “intense consideration and deliberation”, so it sounds like this wasn’t a rash decision.

In an interview over on PCMag, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau opens up a bit more, talking about why the company has decided it’s the right time to launch a TV. To be specific, OnePlus is aiming for a 2019 launch for its TV, which will be a 4K LED model with built-in connectivity.

According to Lau, OnePlus wants to jump into the smart home market that’s currently being dominated by smart speakers. Going with a TV first is certainly a unique decision. Lau’s company may be starting with a TV, but there’s room to grow, and Lau is aware of that, saying, “It’s not only to make a TV; we want to explore what OnePlus can do in the smart home industry.”

The OnePlus TV will be a hub for that vision, where talking to the TV will become natural (in OnePlus’s vision). The TV would feature far-field microphones, just like smart speakers, and would be a focal point for the household. Here is Lau on how that would look when you get up in the morning:

“In my mobile phone, I have my calendar agenda. When I get up in the morning, the agenda will pop up in the TV with the local time, weather, temperature, my hotel information, and recommendations for how to dress.“

So why isn’t OnePlus just launching a set-top box like so many other companies? Well, the company is trying to fix the idea that households need more than just one device to get something done. So instead of having to plug another device into a smart TV, just make the TV smarter.

OnePlus says this will be a “premium” TV, but is willing to cut back on pricing just a bit so the company can focus on building a user base, similar to its smartphone strategy. And as far as the operating system on board this new TV, Lau isn’t saying anything specific just yet. But the safe bet does seem to be Android.

So, OnePlus TV is coming next year. If you’re already a OnePlus fan, are you already gearing up to pick one up next year?

Sources: PCMag, OnePlus forums

source: androidandme