So you want a OnePlus Nord, but you live in the US or Canada, and OnePlus isn’t selling the device in North America, at least not yet. Well, it turns out there is a way to get one, although your chances will be slim.
OnePlus has announced a beta testing program for Nord in North America. The company is hand-picking 50 “tech enthusiasts” willing to produce “unbiased, expertly crafted reviews” of its new entry-level phone. Applications open today and close July 28 at 10:30 am ET. You can register using this online form.
Those selected will be encouraged to contact the OnePlus product team to provide as much feedback as possible, which ideally “will fuel a constructive dialogue about where [OnePlus] you can take the product line in the future. “Reviews of these 50 participants will launch on August 31, and OnePlus says part of that group will be able to keep their Nord units.
That last part is certainly suspicious. Posting details of the program on the official OnePlus forum states that “beta testers who really give us honest feedback and do so in a comprehensive and distinct way will be able to keep Nord. Unfortunately, everyone else will need to return their device within a month “.
The post offers no deeper criteria than that, nor does it describe how OnePlus intends to ensure that these reviews are as “unbiased” as it wants to be, while reviewers are competing for free phones. We hope that not all of the participants the company rewards are those who praise their new device, but ultimately time will tell how the show is shaken.
Interestingly, the Nord units that OnePlus ships to beta testers / reviewers will be the international model offered in other parts of the world. Because of this, they will lack specific bands used by T-Mobile and AT&T in the US, which OnePlus warns of in their post.
If you’re interested in the program, please note that OnePlus is collecting a fair amount of data as part of its selection process, including the age, gender, and employment status of applicants. The company says it is prioritizing beta testers “based on their writing, photography and videography skills,” but that “most importantly, we are looking for people who share their honest experience with us in a clear and detailed way.” . You don’t have to be a member of the OnePlus forums to be eligible, though there is a question in the app asking you to identify if you are.
However, if all of this is out of its wheelhouse, or sounds like a problem, OnePlus told us last week that the Nord could make it to North America if it sells well enough. Hopefully, over time, you’ll be able to get one on your hands without earning it through an “expertly conducted impartial review.”
