OnePlus has confirmed that a third OnePlus 9 device will arrive next week; the OnePlus 9R is designed as a lower-priced version of the new flagship, but will only be available in India

The news was confirmed by OnePlus CEO Pete Lau in an interview with News18; like the OnePlus Nord series, it aims to bring the flagship experience to more people at a more affordable price point

Lau did not confirm much about the phone, although he did reveal that the OnePlus 9R will feature 5G and offer "smooth scrolling, immersive game controls, and a superior viewing experience" This suggests some sort of high refresh rate display

The OnePlus 9R has been a bit of a mystery since rumors began circulating online last year Despite leaks and OnePlus itself revealing almost everything we can expect from the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, the same cannot be said for the OnePlus 9R

So far, the phone is believed to feature a 65-inch FHD display with a 90 Hz refresh rate, a 5,000 mAh battery, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage, and a 64 MP camera Rumors also suggest that the phone will run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 chipset, but other reports suggest that it may be powered by the mid-range Snapdragon 690 instead

OnePlus has recently begun to shift toward more affordable phones, especially with the launch of the OnePlus Nord series According to Lau, however, the OnePlus 9R is different, as it is designed to offer "a balanced handset with the latest technology" The Nord phone, on the other hand, is built to provide an "uncompromised" user experience at an affordable price

Lau also said that affordable flagship handsets are particularly important in the Indian market, with data showing a need for high-spec handsets at low prices I would argue that there is a need for that everywhere, especially with the growing number of $1,000 handsets

However, OnePlus is one of the top premium smartphone brands in India Given the size of the population, it makes sense for the company to focus on India

According to Lau's statement, the OnePlus 9R is likely to be built to be nearly as powerful as the more expensive OnePlus 9, as the Snapdragon 865 is the chipset used in last year's flagship and offers enough power for most users Snapdragon 865 is the chipset used in last year's flagships, and it offers enough power for most users

It is not as powerful as the new Snapdragon 888 that will be in other OnePlus 9 phones, but it is not far behind But the important thing is that this chip is older and cheaper, and the savings can be passed on to the consumer

The only downside is that the phone appears to be India-only for the time being So if the OnePlus 9 is too much for you, you will have to choose one of the many OnePlus Nord devices if you want to stay in the OnePlus family

The OnePlus 9R will launch on March 23, along with the OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro, and OnePlus Watch We will keep you posted in Tom's Guide as more information becomes available