The OnePlus 13 Now Has an Official Date for Its North American Launch

The Chinese manufacturer OnePlus has officially announced that its latest flagship smartphone -- the OnePlus 13 -- will be released at the company's Winter Launch Event on Jan. 7, 2025, at 10:30 am ET.

Following its October launch in China, CEO Pete Lau wrote that the device would debut globally in January 2025, and the OnePlus X account and official website now confirm that. The video on the company's X post announcing the launch includes the term "OnePlus 13 Series," so we can assume that the midrange OnePlus 13R model will also be released at the Jan. 7 event.

Specs have not yet been officially announced but the North American version of the OnePlus 13 is largely expected to be the same as the Chinese model, featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a powerful 6,000 mAh battery with fast charging and water resistance. The company confirmed, however, the OnePlus 13 will come in three colors: midnight ocean (blue), black eclipse (black) and arctic dawn (white). The midnight ocean model will be its first phone to feature microfiber vegan leather.

Last year, CNET's Andrew Lanxon was impressed by the OnePlus 12's powerful processor, stellar battery life and big, vibrant display, but he was disappointed by its camera performance and its offering of fewer years of security updates compared to rivals. That model started at $800. 

Watch this: OnePlus 12 Review: A Flagship Phone That's Almost Perfect

07:53

The OnePlus 13R, which is believed to be a more affordable version of the flagship with somewhat scaled-down specs. The OnePlus Watch 3, its next-generation smartwatch with more health-related features, may also launch at the Jan. 7 event.

The launch of the OnePlus 13 in the US and elsewhere is noteworthy, as the Chinese brand continues to stand out against major smartphone manufacturers, including Apple and Samsung. 

Read more: Best Phone to Buy for 2024

OnePlus already has an established reputation in China. The latest announcements highlight its ambitions to make bigger waves in North America by offering high-end features at competitive prices.