OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro launch at absurdly low prices in China — here's what that means for India

By Harish Jonnalagadda
published

Oneplus 8 Pro Review
Oneplus 8 Pro Review (Image credit: Android Central)

What you need to know

  • The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro are now official in China, with the base version starting off at the equivalent of $565.
  • The Pro variant, meanwhile, retails for $765 in the country.
  • OnePlus is likely offering regional pricing in markets where it has to maintain its dominance.

The OnePlus 8 series debuted earlier this week, with the base version starting off at $699 in the U.S. and the Pro version starting at $899. While that's considerably more than previous generations, the new devices come with a host of new features, including 5G connectivity, and in the case of the OnePlus 8 Pro, IP68 water resistance, 30W wireless charging, and a 120Hz AMOLED panel.

Even though there's a lot to like with the new phones, the pricing was a point of contention for fans around the world, particularly in India. OnePlus even went on to say that the pricing would be different in India to assuage customers, and we now have an idea as to what to expect.

The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro went on sale in China earlier today, with the base variant retailing for just 3,999 RMB ($565) and the OnePlus 8 Pro set to go on sale for 5,399 RMB ($765). That's $134 less than the U.S. equivalents, and it suggests OnePlus is indeed rolling out regional pricing for its devices this year. The key difference with the Chinese variants is that they run HydrogenOS instead of the global OxygenOS skin, but the hardware on offer is identical to the U.S. variants.

The China pricing should give us a better indication as to what the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro will cost in other markets like India. OnePlus pricing in India is usually along the sames lines as China, so it is possible the OnePlus 8 could debut for under ₹43,000 ($560), with the OnePlus 8 Pro launching at around ₹58,000 ($760).

Why is this a big deal? India is OnePlus' biggest market, accounting for over a third of the company's global sales. OnePlus is also the leading manufacturer in the premium category, with the company overtaking Samsung a few years ago. So it has a vested interest in the region, and with India being a very price-sensitive market, OnePlus may be willing to take a hit on profits to maintain its dominance.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia at Android Central. He leads the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, contributing to reviews, features, and buying guides. He also writes about storage servers, audio products, and the semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.

10 Comments
  • I wonder if they'll drop the price in the US if sales are bad. I actually think the phones are worth there US prices. But the economy is in the gutter and like me a lot of people may not be able to afford it now.
  • Totally agree, this phone is so tempting but the last thing on my mind is a new phone. They should have postponed or at least priced the 8 at $100 lower
  • That's how I feel. A lot of people really aren't in the market for an expensive flagship phone right now.
  • But i thought the phones were Sold out in less than 10 minutes ?
  • Depends on the market. if it's China, it would make some sense.
  • They had limited units for sale.
  • I wouldn't expect them to drop the price, but I think it shows how much leeway they have on the price. I need to replace 2 phones fairly badly. So, I'll sit on the sidelines for a few months and look for these to go on sale.
  • Still way too much for both Chinese and Indian markets! The 8 Pro will appeal only to tech enthusiasts in the western countries, and no one else. The regular 8 will appeal to no one. It's worse than 7T but more expensive, even with those cheaper prices. The regular 7T in India is 35,000 Rs or 457 USD.
  • "The key difference with the Chinese variants is that they run HydrogenOS instead of the global OxygenOS skin..." Well that explains it. After all, Android OEM who wants to use Google Mobile Services has to pay a fee to Google.
  • I think the OnePlus 8 should have been $599 and the 8 pro $799 at their starting points. That would have been OnePlus like.