The OnePlus 10T discontinues the well-known Alert Slider and its association with Hasselblad

The OnePlus 10T is quickly approaching, but it already seems like the firm will make some significant changes with the device. After almost a decade, OnePlus has announced that the OnePlus 10T will be the company’s first flagship device sans the Alert Slider.

Since the first OnePlus One, practically all of the company’s smartphones have had a slider on the side of the handset that is used to change between ringer settings. Similar to the mute switch on the iPhone, this switch, dubbed the “Alert Slider,” could switch between vibration, mute, and full volume settings.

Since then, the feature has persisted on every OnePlus flagship, however it has been deleted from several less expensive models, such the OnePlus Nord N20.

As OnePlus revealed to The Verge, the Alert Slider is now being retired on the OnePlus 10T.

The OnePlus 10T’s design, which comes in black and a bright green colour option and essentially resembles the OnePlus 10 Pro unveiled earlier this year, was also revealed simultaneously with the revelation.

The Alert Slider was removed from the OnePlus 10T for what reason? Hope Liu, the lead designer of OnePlus, adds that the change was “necessary” to make room for the device’s other essential parts, such as a larger battery, even faster charging, and a better antenna. It has a “pretty big impact” on the construction of the gadget because the Alert Slider occupies about 30 mm2 of the motherboard. The OnePlus 10T’s motherboard might have been stacked instead of being removed, increasing the thickness of the phone.

The OnePlus 10T is rumoured to boast 150W fast charging, up from the OnePlus 10 Pro’s 80W; North American variants were only capable of 65W. Liu added that there are “two charging pumps” in the OnePlus 10T.

Durability is a second factor that we’ll posit as having some bearing on the removal. The OnePlus 10 Pro will break in half when bent, according to a stress test conducted earlier this year, something the great majority of other smartphones often pass, as our Max Weinbach was eager to point out. The Alert Slider was located exactly where the 10 Pro snapped, however this could just be a coincidence.

The absence of the Hasselblad logo that was prominent on the previous two OnePlus flagships is the other significant shift that is readily apparent.

Although OnePlus stated that it “intended to give an ultimate performance flagship smartphone at the device’s selected price range,” the company also revealed that it will still feature a 50MP Sony IMX766 as its primary sensor, technically an upgrade from the 10 Pro.

The OnePlus 10T also features a novel internal antenna configuration with 15 distinct antennas. According to reports, the new design functions better when the phone is held horizontally, which is being touted as a benefit for mobile gaming. On that note, it is not surprising that this interview also verified the existence of a 6.7-inch display.

The OnePlus 10T will officially launch on August 3, according to OnePlus.