OnePlus 6T in-display fingerprint sensor confirmed, October launch date teased?

OnePlus has confirmed that its next flagship, most likely called the OnePlus 6T, will feature one of 2018’s hottest new smartphone trends: an in-display fingerprint sensor. The Chinese brand confirmed the feature in an email to CNET, while also sharing a seemingly innocuous image that may be teasing an October launch date for the OnePlus 6 successor.

According to the report, OnePlus had originally planned to include an in-display reader with the release of the OnePlus 5T late last year, but decided against it as the technology wasn’t “mature enough.”

“We unlock our phones multiple times a day, and Screen Unlock reduces the number of steps to complete the action,” a OnePlus spokesperson told the publication.

“By adding this feature as an addition to other display unlocking options such as Face Unlock, users will have options to unlock the display in a way that is most efficient for them.”

The feature isn’t a total surprise, however, as leaked images purportedly showing the OnePlus 6T packaging had appeared to reference the feature.

OnePlus also noted that in addition to offering a new way to unlock the phone, it has also prompted a slight redesign over the existing OnePlus 6. The OnePlus 6T will reportedly be 0.45mm thicker than its predecessor to accommodate the new technology. Likewise, as the rear fingerprint sensor is no longer needed, the phone will have more of a unibody look.

With other Chinese OEMs now officially adopting the technology, OnePlus is seemingly hoping to once again cut ahead of the industry giants, such as Samsung, that are reportedly looking to follow suit with in-display sensors of their own. And while it didn’t quite make our OnePlus 6T wishlist, there’s no denying that it’ll be a headline feature when the phone finally see the light of day.

OnePlus 6T release date confirmed?

Speaking of the phone’s imminent launch, has OnePlus secretly revealed when we might see the new phone?

In the same report, CNET posted an image (below) of the upcoming phone’s lockscreen to show off the new in-display sensor. While there’s not much to the image, we can clearly see the date listed as October 17.

Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s first remember that this could have just been selected at random. But, if we’re going full tinfoil hat here, maybe this is actually the OnePlus 6T launch date.

While it’s not the T-series’ usual November slot, it’s not completely out of the realms of possibility that OnePlus would shift the date forward a month.

We’ll have to wait for official confirmation to know for sure, but anyone hoping to hear more about the first OnePlus phone to launch in the U.S. via a carrier might want to keep October 17 free.

Up next: Android 9.0 Pie-based OxygenOS Open Beta 2 now available for OnePlus 6