Companies like OnePlus have found success over the years by selling their devices with select third-party retailers, but most of the sales efforts come from direct fulfillment. But in the United States, getting a carrier partnership is a major step in the right direction, as many smartphone customers still prefer to get their new device directly from their carrier. PCMag recently sat down with OnePlus’s CEO, Pete Lau, and talked about how the company’s plans definitely include working with wireless carriers in the United States, and how the company will be one of the first to market with a smartphone to support the next major technology for wireless technologies. According to Lau, the smartphone manufacturer’s relationship with Qualcomm means it will be one of the first to launch a 5G-enabled smartphone next year. To help propel that handset into the limelight, OnePlus plans on launching it in the United States with carrier support ready from day one. That means it won’t be just another smartphone that supports carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, but is actually sold out of their retail stores. So, next year, we may see a 5G OnePlus-branded smartphone right next to a Samsung Galaxy S10 inside a carrier store. Unfortunately, the report doesn’t say which carriers OnePlus is currently in talks with. It does note that OnePlus’s first 5G smartphone will “sync up with the first year of 5G being available in the US.” So while nothing is official just yet, it certainly sounds like OnePlus is gearing up for a big launch in the U.S. sometime in 2019. For folks who have been wanting to get their hands on a OnePlus smartphone, but have also been waiting for official U.S. carrier support, the wait is almost over.
