Smartphones started off being built out of plastic, because it was the most cost-effective and durable option to go with. There really wasn't much of a need to go with anything more expensive or less durable. However, at a point, premium devices needed to set themselves apart, and metal was the first material that was chosen.
With time, glass eventually took over as the premium material of choice, despite being less durable (especially as metal isn't compatible with wireless charging). I've always loved metal though, and it seems that the upcoming OnePlus Nord is going to be the first phone in a very long time with a metal back panel.
The OnePlus Nord 4 Is Going To Have A Metal And Glass Back Panel, Like The First Few Google Pixels
The OnePlus Nord 3 was released in July last year and it was a relatively good-looking phone. Even if you weren't a huge fan of the design, it was hard to hate it. It did have a plastic back though, as expected of the low-cost Nord phones. This year, the Nord 4 is coming and it is going to bring not only a new design, but a new and more premium build along with it.
Coming soon after the launch of the Nord CE 4 Lite, leaked images of the OnePlus Nord 4 show off a switch from a vertical dual-camera setup to a horizontal one. However, most notably is the fact that there's a new dual-tone design at a play. The top quarter or so of the back panel, where the cameras and flash are housed, is made of glass. However, the rest of the back panel is metal, and this is the first time I'm seeing metal in a device's back panel in a very long time. I have always a big fan of metal though, since it is cool to the touch and it's one less durability concern.
The design is instantly reminiscent of the first few iterations of the Google Pixel. I had a Google Pixel XL, which this two-toned design bears resemblance to, but the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 phones also have the same dual-material back panels. The execution itself is relatively plain but I still like it. Hopefully, we might get to see more metal phones in the future. I certainly won't complain if that happens.
The OnePlus Nord 4 Will Have Solid Midrange Specifications
Beyond the new design for the OnePlus Nord 4, its spec sheet is going to be a solid midrange one. I don't know how much it is going to cost, but the specs, leaked by Sanju Choudhary, are certainly great for its class.
There's going to be a 6.74-inch 1.5K 120Hz OLED display with 2,150-nit peak brightness. A Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is expected to run the show under the hood. The battery will be a large 5,500 mAh cell with 100W fast charging. You can also expect 5G support, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and an IR blaster. The camera setup will be a 50MP primary plus an 8MP ultrawide, while the front camera is a 16MP Samsung unit.
If these specs pan out, that's a bigger battery, faster charging, a brighter screen, and a switch from MediaTek to Qualcomm in the SoC department, when compared to the OnePlus Nord 3.
The OnePlus Nord 4 Is Coming On July 16th
OnePlus is having its Summer Launch Event on July 16th, and that's when you can expect the Nord 4 to release. However, OnePlus will also be releasing its new OnePlus Pad 2, the OnePlus Nords Buds 3 Pro, as well as the OnePlus Watch 2R, so there's going to be a whole lot to show off on that day. Be on the lookout for early bird and pre-order deals, such as a partnership with bag brand TUMI that will be offering co-branded products as free perks.
