OnePlus is having a MWC 2023 event next week but they are not introducing a commercial product. Instead, the company will be showing off a OnePlus 11 Concept in Barcelona which seems to be more flashy than the Nothing Phone (1).
In a press statement teasing the phone, the brand said, “OnePlus is set to thrill participants at the upcoming 2023 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona by offering an imaginative design aesthetics – OnePlus 11 Concept with a flowing back, which encases its engineering breakthrough in a bold and futuristic unibody glass design inspired by the calm stillness of a glacial lake that harbours a vast reservoir of power underneath.”
As shown above, there are “icy blue pipelines” that run through the back of the phone which OnePlus describes as a series of blood vessels. These blue lines are apparently visible as the sealed micro-liquid pipelines are placed underneath its glass back. In terms of design, these pipes seem to act like radiator pipes for improved cooling but it will be interesting to see if they can glow or illuminate during intensive gaming. Even if it does, we highly doubt that it can flash randomly like the Nothing Phone (1)’s Glyph interface.
This isn’t the first time OnePlus had shown off a concept device. During CES 2020, the company showcased the OnePlus Concept One in partnership with McLaren which featured electrochromic glass to “hide” the camera array. It even doubles as an ND filter which can be triggered under the camera’s Pro mode. Essentially, it uses the same technology as the sunroof used on the McLaren 720S or the “dimmable” window shades on a Boeing 787.
For now, the OnePlus 11 remains the only 2023 OnePlus flagship smartphone you can buy in Malaysia at the moment and it’s priced from RM3,299 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model and RM3,599 for the 16GB RAM + 256GB storage version. The device is still on pre-order on Shopee and Lazada, and they are bundling extra free gifts worth up to RM1,356. This includes the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, bumper case, extended warranty and screen protection.
