Expectations of a standout phone from the east are making their way in the US market, yet got another shock. OnePlus recently introduced a compact flagship phone in China and provoked some desires in the oceans, but the company has broken those expectations for enthusiasts in the US and Europe.
Celina Shi and Spencer Blanc, the company’s Europe and American operations have been told respectively Ruckus OnePlus 13T is not making its way for these areas. In particular, the company is set to launch the phone in India as OnePlus 13S in the coming weeks.
Does it make it special?
OnePlus 13T is united, the first small phone of the brand in the years OnePlus X which was launched a decade ago. Now, this is only a small phone by Android standards, as OnePlus 13t is still longer, wider and thicker than the iPhone 16, but only by a Smidgen.
We are talking about the difference in the range of 71.7 mm vs 71.6 mm for width, and at 8.15 mm vs 7.80 mm at thickness. OnePlus phone, however, provides some suitability that reflect its small size and make the competition dwarf.
It offers a huge 6,260 mAh battery that supports 80W fast charging and 6.32-inch (iphone 15) OLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits with peak shine. There are two 50-megapixel cameras on the back and 16-megapixel sensors for selfie and video calling duties.
Why is it not coming to America?
OnePlus has not technically explained why it is not bringing exciting phones in US shelves, but market factors may have a role here. The company recently raised the price of its $ 330 Clock from 3 to $ 500 due to disruption related to OnePlus tariff, but has since read it up to $ 350 for the US market.
The company’s track record with its budget-centered Nord Series Phone has been somewhat to the same extent. The largest part of those phones is sold in Asian markets, and barely some variants come to the states.
In the case of OnePlus 13T, the situation is somewhat disappointing, but not completely surprising. Interestingly, before the launch of the phone in India, the company released a report in collaboration with Counterpoint Research, showing how a strong market demand for compact powerhouse smartphone.
Another difficult part is the carrier-first sales strategy of the US market and dominance of big players like Apple and Samsung. The competition is upwards, even in the small -sized phone segment, as the iPhone 16 and Samsung Galaxy S25 provide a small footprint in all axes compared to OnePlus 13T.
Carrier leaves a single breathing room for new players such as deals, trade-profit, and aggressive discounts, even though their phones are no less competitive. It will be interesting to see if the OnePlus separates from the bottom of the road.
