OnePlus 13s, The Company’s First Compact Smartphone Ever, is all set to launch in India song. Now, OnePlus is a brand that doesn’t a launch every month and has a very streamlined Smartphone line-up Catering to Consures in Almost Every Price Segment, Starting as Low as RS RS. 17,999 for the Nord Ce 4 Lite to All the way to the OnePlus 13 at Rs. 69,999. With the 13s, OnePlus Says it is addressing a key demand where, lately, Consures Want a Smartphone Delivering Flagship-achly performance in a smaller form factor. However, OnePlus Emphasises that “compact” doesn’t mean Sacrificing features.
Additional, counterpoint published a consumer survey last month capturing the gaps in the market when it comes to compact smartphones. While OnePlus Commissioned The Survey, it was still a great way to gauge consumer reaction and check demand. Ahead of the company’s big launch, gadgets 360 get to spendak to Robin liu, CEO – OnePlus India, to Undrstand Why 13S and Who Now. We also get a chance to talk to counterpoint’s research director, tarun pathak, on the recent survey.
OnePlus has been positioning the OnePlus 13s as a streticed device in their lineup, offering a balance of between flagship performance and affordability in a Compact Design. We asked robin about potential demand and observation of onePlus as a smartphone manufacturer; He explained, “Basis early projections of where the market is headed, 2025 truly looks like the year of the compact smartphones being the popular need of the house. Been Loveed by One and All, Consures and Our Community Members are
Referring to the recent counterpoint survey stated that users are seeking smartphones that better align with everyone usability. IT SAID 88% of Indian Smartphone users Expressed willingness to switch to compact smartphones without compromising performing performance. We wanted to understand if it was an excellent time for the 13s launch. “It is interesting to Activities, Making it a favorite solution for some. Said.
“The demand is clear: people want a compact phone that fits comfortable in their hands and in their lives. Portability and Power. At OnePlus, We Hear You.
The 13s will be powered by snapdragon 8 elite
OnePlus 13s to be placed between 13 and 13r
We also wanted to clear the naming of the upcoming 13-series phone. Why was the “s” chlen for this particular model, and where does it fit in the company’s product line-up? Robin Clarified, “OnePlus 13S Signifies Our Pursuit for Excellence and is Born from our unvevering commitment to the ‘Never Settle’ Philosophy. Our Flagship OnePlus 13 Series – In A Smaller, Smarter and More Powerful Form Factor. Daily Driver.
It will be sweetheated between the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13r, Said Robin Liu
Next, we wanted to understand that OnePlus isn’t the only brand exploring the compact segment. Several Brands are exploring different Approaches to Compact Design, For Example, Slimming Bezels, Reduction Overall Size, and Decreasing Display Dimensions. Which of these approaches do you believe will resonate most strongly with the Indian consumer, and why?
Robin Started by Setting Context About The Entre Compact Smartphone Ecosystem in India. “In markets like India, where the phone is ofteen the primary device for entertainment and work, consumers are not willing to compromise on performance. Compromise – because a small form factor may mean compromise in battery, performance, display, etc. Balance of Software and Hardware Integration and Stands For the Signature Fast and Smoth Experience that Consures Expect of Us. Users don’t have to compromise usability for size. “
Robin Liu, CEO, OnePlus India
Compact Smartphones: The Essentials
When asked if there”s a significant gap in the Indian market for a truce high-Peerformance Compact Smartphone that does not Compromise on Key Features, Robin Excitedly Answers, “Absolety Around 68% of Indian Users Feel The Market Lacks Supicient Options for Compact Smartphones that Deliver Flagship-Grade Specifications, Quoting from the Recent Counterte Survey. Options today tend to scale back on Critical Aspects Like Processing Power, Charging Speed, Or camera quality. “
“We are at an intriguing space where we are witnessing that the Indian consumer is evolving rapidly and expects a premium, all-first experience regardless of farm factor. Counterpoint report that focuses on compact smartphones, while there is a gap and if worked on, about 74% of the respondents will opt for a compact smartphone as their next purchas Forward-Looking Statement even when the Momentum is currently building and progressing. Use through its form factor, seamless software integrations that enable ease of high-Peerformance Use Cases Like That of Gaming, Content creation on-the-to-way and multitasking, “he added.
Considering that 13s will enter a segment with less competition, we asked robin how onePlus sees the current competitive landscape for compact smartphones in India and some factors that influence the r & de of the Phone. “Currently, The Compact Smartphone Segment in India has Yet to Realise its full potential. While some devices in a compact form factor are available, Consumer Preferences Indeal Screen Size of <6.5 Inches when Considers a Compact Phone, Hinting at a Significant Opportunity for Innovation. Proteing Remains A Consideration, Consures Increasingly Expect Flagship-Level Experiences from Their Compact Smartphones. 13s, "He said.
“At OnePlus, it is our Ongoing Pursuit to ‘Never Settle’ in Finding The Best Solution and Provide the Best User Experience and Thus was conceptively the onePlus 13s. Opportunity for Leadership – Developing a device that cats to bot local users’ needs and delivers global performance standard. Capabilitys optimized for selfies and groups, and meaningful ai innovations that Elevate the overall user experience, “He added.
When asked about the biggest challenges in achieving this “Smart Yet Powerful” Proposition in a Smaller Form Factor, Robin Simplified, “The Challenge Lies in Engineering Excellence. Constrain Internal Space, Making It Harder to Accommodate High-Ed Processors, Cooling Systems, And Larger Batteries –Al with with adding bulk. 13s, We’ve Approached This Challenge with Precision Towards Design, Rethanking Internal Architecture and Leverapping Material Innovation to Strike the right balance compact size and uncompromized Performance. ”
The new button is placed on the left side of the phone chassis
Undersrstanding the changing consumer preferences (ft. COUNTERPOIN)
In an email conversation with tarun, we asked about the key drivers behind this potential shift towards compact smartphones in the Indian market in 2025. Smartphones in the Indian Market in 2025 is Largely Driven by Changing Consumer Preferences and Evolving Usage Patterns. Entertainment but also for banking, health tracking, and productivity-Russars are now seeking devices
He Continues, “After Years of Growing Screen Sizes, Many Consures are Now Experience Fetigue With Large, Bulky Phones That are Dificult to Handle. Grip, Reduces The Chances of Accidental Drops, Enables Easier One-Handed Use –Specially Valuable for Multitasking in Transit or DURING Usage Periods. Compromising on Performance, is deteround a Major Purchase Driver. “
On being asked about the primary pain points of consumers using large-screen smartphones, tarun added, “a lot of users are starting to feel the requirement for a Compact Smartphone device. Struggle to Operate them with one hand, 47% men’s’ve had issues with grip or even darpped their phones. Their fingers or winds. No Surprise then, according to a counterpoint research survey, 88% of people would consider switching to a compact smartphone Performance as a big flagship.
Beyond just size, what specific use cases are driving the demand for compact smartphones in India? Tarun Responded, “The Demand for Compact Smartphones in India stems not just from their smaller size, built from the convenience they offer in everything life. Rides, For Quick One-Handed Texting While Walking, or when Taking Calls Who Multitasking at home or work. Comfortably Using The Phone While Standing in a Bus or Metro, Making Upi Payments on the Go, or Snapping a Quick Selfie With One Hand, these real-lif scenarios highlight how a pHONATS Make Daily Interactions Smother and More Seamless. “
“AlongSide these practical use cases, there is a growing niche of users who are often influenced by digital wellness and minimalistic lifestyle trends. Distractions and focus on the essential tasks on their smartphone.
The company has teased the full design of the OnePlus 13s in India. It will feature a new physical button, which can be synced for particular tasks. Powering the phone will be Qualcomm’s top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Soc, and the screen size is 6.32-inch, making this the company’s smallast offering in India in terms of screen size.
Stay tuned to gadgets 360 for the launch of the OnePlus 13s.
