October set the record for the most major smartphone releases in 2024, and among that influx of new devices, the OnePlus 13 was a notable one. The device brought a slight design change to the table, as well as making notable changes to major parts of the spec sheet.
The only downside of such a great smartphone being released is that at the moment, it is only available in China. However, as a brand, OnePlus is established internationally, so a global launch is only a matter of time. Now we have a general date, and it's January 2025.
The OnePlus 13 Is Going To Grace The Global Market Starting From Next Month
OnePlus has had a fairytale journey in the smartphone world, coming in as a scrappy upstart, and over 10 years later, standing tall as a company that competes with the very best of them. This year, the OnePlus 13 came out, and it's as good as any flagship smartphone out there, and definitely a lot better than its predecessor (which is the least you'd want to say about any flagship).
The only problem with the OnePlus 13's launch in October is that the launch was exclusive to China. Prospective buyers in other countries knew it'd eventually make its way to them, based on the company's track record, but the big question was “when?”. If it was going to be anything like the OnePlus 12, then a January launch was expected.
And now, we know that's actually going to be the case. According to Yogesh Brar on X, the OnePlus 13 series is going to have its full international launch in January 2025, which is just next month. The series will consist of the OnePlus 13 and the OnePlus 13R. There's word of new earbuds and a new smartwatch on the way, but they might not necessarily launch alongside the smartphones.
The OnePlus 13 Series Will Likely Be The First Major Smartphone Release Of Next Year
The Samsung Galaxy S25 series is rumored for a January launch as well, with January 23rd being the rumored date. Last year, the S24 devices launched on January 17th, just a few days before the OnePlus 12 phones came to the scene. However, with a later launch expected for this year's Samsung flagships, OnePlus has a pretty large window to claim the first smartphone spotlight of the new year.
We Already Know That The OnePlus 13 Is A Fantastic Device
On paper, at least, the OnePlus 13 is a very solid flagship smartphone. Besides a slightly refreshed design, you get a lot of difference on the inside. The leading Snapdragon 8 Elite takes the helm, along with a storage option with 24GB of RAM (likely not going global though).
Regarding its screen, DisplayMate had to create a new A++ rating solely for the device, which surely says a lot about the quality that you can expect. You get an IP69 rating, a 6,000mAh battery, and upgraded telephoto and ultrawide sensors. With specs like that, the phone is a notable boost over its predecessor, and hopefully, that translates off paper.
