If you felt like the OnePlus 13 was not generating anywhere near as much attention as it deserved just a few weeks back, a recent cavalcade of juicy leaks probably put a big smile on your face, purportedly revealing (or corroborating) the real-world design, theoretical performance, and somewhat excessive pricing of this next-gen Android super-flagship.
Widely expected to go official... any day now (at least in China), the ultra-high-end handset is in the spotlight once again, this time with exciting news on possible colorways and build materials (at least for the Chinese market).
Faux leather is back in style, baby!
Are you tired of seeing pretty much every new $500+ phone from virtually every major or minor brand released with essentially the exact same glass back nowadays? Are you feeling nostalgic for the good old days of the faux leather Galaxy Note 3, Note 4, or LG G4?
According to one social media tipster who's been right about these types of things lots of times before, the OnePlus 13 is set to come in a "special" green shade with, you guessed it, a faux leather rear panel. Obviously, this isn't going to be the handset's only variant to hit Chinese stores by the end of the year, but with the other two tipped to rock "textured glass" designs in white and black hues, the green model certainly sounds like it could capture by far the largest amount of attention among early adopters.
Purported OnePlus 13 image in black colorway. | Image Credit -- Weibo
Unfortunately, Yogesh Brar doesn't seem to know if all three of these OnePlus 13 versions will go global after their regional debut, so before you start dusting off your old leather jacket and wondering if that will go nicely with your next phone, you might want to wait for some official news on Western availability.
The black and white models, remember, were leaked in all their glory just yesterday, while the green flavor was... not, which may suggest limited availability or even a belated release for that drool-worthy faux leather edition.
A white OnePlus 13 posing next to the Oppo Find X8. | Image Credit -- Weibo
If you're wondering where you've recently seen leather used on a big-brand smartphone (or ten), the answer is most likely Motorola. The Lenovo-owned company might be solely responsible for this somewhat unexpected fashion trend comeback, releasing more devices with "vegan leather" finishes in the last couple of years than I can count on the fingers of one hand.
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Of course, I'm not suggesting that OnePlus is looking to copy Motorola here... at least not until we actually get to see this "special" green-coated OnePlus 13 variant.
About OnePlus 13
Although no date is etched in stone just yet, the OnePlus 13 was (more or less) officially confirmed last month for a launch in China by the end of October. That's less than two weeks away at the time of this writing, mind you, so clearly, the company should be scheduling an announcement event at any moment. Alas, there's a very good chance you'll then have to wait until December or even January for a commercial release in markets like North America, Europe, and India. But your patience will be rewarded with a bonkers OnePlus 13 spec sheet including the following:
6.82-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate technology and 5000 nits peak brightness;
6,000mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging support;
Up to 24GB RAM;
Up to 1TB internal storage space;
50 + 50 + 50MP triple rear-facing camera system;
50MP single front-facing camera;
Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 or Snapdragon 8 Elite processor.
No matter how excited you are for the OnePlus 13 after the latest rumors, I continue to stand by my opinion from earlier this month that you should be more excited. I believe that will all my heart even after hearing about the phone's prospective price hike over its predecessor because, well, the Galaxy S25 Ultra will still be a lot costlier... with a much smaller battery, most likely less memory in a top-of-the-line configuration, and possibly a less impressive display as well. There's just so much to love about the OnePlus 13, and the handset isn't even official yet.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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