If you were hoping to get your hands on the “compact” phone OnePlus launched in China last week, you’re going to have your work cut out for you. OnePlus spokespeople have confirmed to The Verge that the 13T will not be sold in Europe or North America. That leaves our OnePlus options limited to “big phone” and “big phone.”
The OnePlus 13T isn’t strictly limited to China — it’ll be sold in India as the 13S. That gave us hope for a US release, but OnePlus quickly dashed it.
Celina Shi, OnePlus Europe’s chief marketing officer, told my colleague Dominic Preston over email that “currently, we have no plans to launch the OnePlus 13s in Europe. That being said, we have noted the interest in the product from our European users, and we will keep it in mind as we make product launch decisions going forward.” OnePlus North America’s head of marketing Spenser Blank gave me the same statement but with the United States and Canada swapped in place of Europe.
Before you start screaming into the void about how a phone with a 6.3-inch screen isn’t small, please know that I hear you. I see you. But that’s what passes for a small phone these days. The 13T comes with a 6.3-inch screen that’s decidedly smaller than what you’ll find on the OnePlus 13 and 13R, which both offer screens around 6.8 inches. The 13T also manages to squeeze in a battery with a higher capacity than its bigger siblings, which is a neat trick achieved thanks to its updated silicon-carbon technology.
Smaller, but with potentially better battery life? That’s awfully compelling, and all the more reason why it’s a shame we won’t get this phone stateside.