OnePlus 9 alternative colors revealed - but you can’t buy them
The colors that never reached the starting line
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When theOnePlus 9went to market in April 2021, it was available in three colors - blue (pictured), violet and black, and the Pro model came in black, dark green and gray. However a leaker has revealed that many more shades were planned for theAndroid phones.
Popular leakerMax Jamborhas tweeted a picture showing more renders of the OnePlus 9 in gray and light green, and theOnePlus 9 Proin white and black. These are apparently based on live images Jambor saw, though those snaps haven’t been published.
Some of the #OnePlus9Series colors that did not make it onto the market, including Matte White, Glossy Black, Glossy Silver and Glossy Green! I am curious @oneplus: why did you ditch them? I get that matte black is better than glossy but white would’ve been dope! pic.twitter.com/GQNiiJgdp1May 2, 2021
It’s not clear why OnePlus decided not to make the OnePlus 9 in these colors, but we can make a few guesses. Firstly, it’s possible the extra gray and black models were scrapped so that each shade was exclusive to one model, to reduce confusion between the two.
We probably didn’t see the light green color as it’s the same as theOnePlus 8’s iconic aquamarine hue, and the company possibly didn’t want potential buyers to confuse the two series.
The right OnePlus 9
If you ask our opinion, OnePlus made the right choice with its color selection - the ‘vanilla’ phone’s blue and violet versions, and the Pro’s dark green, seem the most distinctive options out of the real and leaked ones.
That’s especially true of the violet OnePlus 9 which, unlike any of the other options, has a two-tone gradient rear design.
Phone companies occasionally put out colored versions of older phones, but it’s pretty rare, so don’t hold your breath for these leaked OnePlus 9 models to hit the market. Instead, it’s just a glimpse into what could have been.
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Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.
He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.
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