When OnePlus entered the smartphone scene back in 2014, it made a name for itself by building an affordable phone with top-of-the-line internal components. If you could put up with their lackluster cameras, OnePlus phones were some of the best value phones you could buy for a while. But that started to change slowly. Minus the OnePlus X, each subsequent OnePlus phone has cost more than its predecessor. We’re now at the point where the company’s latest flagship, the $899 OnePlus 8 Pro, is only $100 less than the iPhone 11 Pro and Galaxy S20. But that’s about to change as well. 

Find the answer. Get closer to what you ask for. #NewBeginnings https://t.co/k4MTWaW3HR pic.twitter.com/iZSooJLWBi

— OnePlus (@oneplus) June 25, 2020

In forum post published earlier this week, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirmed that the company is working on a more affordable phone product line. In the same post, Lau said OnePlus plans to introduce the line initially in India and Europe before bringing it to North America. According to Android Central, OnePlus will announce the first device in that lineup, the “OnePlus Nord,” on July 10th. The phone could also be called the OnePlus 8 Lite or OnePlus Z. 

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau revealed the design in a forum post, which features circular housing for the triple rear cameras. “With perfect symmetry from any orientation, a circular design became the natural choice,” he wrote. “A circle’s rounded edges produce an appealing contrast against the straight lines of a smartphone’s rectangular form for a seamless, balanced feel. After going through over fifty design iterations, we think we’ve landed on something pretty special.”

The glass has a matte finish, as did the OnePlus 7 Pro and several OnePlus 6 models. This time around, Lau says it has a “smooth matte surface with a brilliant metallic radiance.” The color the company used on this handset, meanwhile, is called Haze Blue.

We’ll find out more details about the OnePlus 7T next week, including the smartphone’s specs. Leaks suggest it’ll include the Snapdragon 855 Plus processor, a 16MP ultra wide-angle rear lens (to go with wide-angle and telephoto sensors) and some additional camera options, including a macro mode.

Throughout the interview, Samsung and Sony were frequent touchpoints for the executive, with Lau noting, “We want to benchmark the image and sound quality against the most premium quality products currently available in the market…” Notably, Lau didn’t mention LG in his image quality comparison, likely due to the fact the OnePlus TV sets will feature QLED panels. LG’s high-end OLED TVs are currently the highwater mark when it comes to TV image quality. However, they cost significantly more than their QLED counterparts.

Upgrade to an unparalleled viewing experience with a 55″ QLED display on the OnePlus TV

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— OnePlus India (@OnePlus_IN) August 22, 2019

Confirming recent rumors, Lau also said the OnePlus TV features a custom user interface on top of Android TV. He added the company is “optimizing” the OS “very deeply.” Based on Lau comments, it’s not clear if OnePlus has limited its tinkering of Android TV to skinning the user interface or if it has created a new fork of the OS. OxygenOS, the software that comes pre-installed on the company’s smartphones, is a fork of Android.

Additionally, Lau noted the OnePlus TV would integrate with the company’s smartphones to offer an experience that’s “much more smooth and more seamless” than the official Google Remote Control app Android TV owners can download from the Play Store. One feature Lau detailed will allow OnePlus users to input text on their TV through their phone. It’s worth noting that a variety of companies, including NVIDIA, already offer this type of cross-platform functionality on their Android TV platforms.

Moving forward, Lau noted one of OnePlus’ goals with its TV is to evolve into a smart display platform. Similar to devices like the Google Nest Hub and Lenovo, the company envisions its TVs providing morning briefings, calendar reminders and more to owners. “I don’t have an interest in doing a traditional TV like others,” said Lau. He was, however, quick to note the company’s first TV is unlikely to include those features at launch.

OnePlus is likely to drip-feed additional details about the OnePlus TV in the days and weeks to come ahead of the company’s official announcement, which is set for sometime this September.