OnePlus 3T release date, specs news update: Company unveils OnePlus 3 upgrade instead of OnePlus 4

A promotional photo of the OnePlus 3T.OnePlus official website

Instead of releasing OnePlus 4, Shenzen-based OnePlus decided to upgrade the half a year old OnePlus 3. The company then decided to call it OnePlus 3T, which many believed to be the true flagship killer that the original model intended it to be.

The Chinese phone maker recently unveiled its latest offering that will be available in two variants, a 64 GB and 128 GB. The internal storage is the only difference between the two. The difference between the previous model and the upcoming one is minimal, but it is something can affect its performance. These include the processor, front-facing camera, and battery. The latest model will now carry the latest from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 821 SoC, a 16 MP selfie cam, and a 3,400 mAH battery. The old model had a Snapdragon 820, an 8 MP camera, and a 3,000 mAh battery, which is a 13 percent increase.

The OnePlus 3T will still have the hefty 6 GB of LPDDR4 RAM. It will also retain the 5.5-inch 1080p Optic AMOLED display screen that offers 401 ppi pixel density protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 4. The display will still have the 16:9 ratio that also features Night Mode display, Light/Dark theme, and Accent Colors.

The 16 MP camera contains the Sony IMX 298 sensor that offers Autofocus, PDAF, f/2.0 aperture and is covered with a Sapphire crystal glass. The front camera has a Samsung 3P8SP sensor that features a Smile capture for hands-free selfies.

OnePlus has managed to make several upgrades without increasing its weight over its predecessor. The new device tips the scale at 158 grams, as well as the same dimensions, with 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.35 mm. The new model still carries the anodized aluminum chassis, as well as the same Gunmetal and Soft Gold colors. Its Dash Charge technology provides a day's worth of power for a quick 30-minute charge that is about 60 percent of the total battery capacity. An Oxygen OS UI hides the Android 7.0 Nougat installed in the device.

Additionally, the OnePlus 3T is also more expensive than its earlier model. The 64 GB variant sells for $439 and the 128 GB unit is at $479. The device will be available starting Nov. 22.