HIGHLIGHTS

• OnePlus Nord has been discontinued from India as Nord 2 makes its way.
• Navnit Nakra of OnePlus India stresses that the Nord caters to those who want a flagship at an affordable price.
• He stresses that the Nord CE isn’t a rival to the new Nord.

OnePlus Nord 2 has been announced for the Indian market as a successor to the popular Nord that launched last year. For the new Nord, the stakes were high, and it’s also the start of a new chapter with the OnePlus and Oppo merger formally announced ahead of its launch.

We have already reviewed Nord 2, and you can read our thoughts here. On the sidelines of the much-anticipated Nord 2 launch, we got a chance to talk to Navnit Nakra, Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of India Sales, OnePlus India, on various topics.

First, we wanted to know how important the new Nord 2 is for the company, considering this is the first phone post formal announcement of the OnePlus and Oppo merger.

“OnePlus will continue operating as an independent brand within Oppo and will continue following its Never Settle approach to creating the best possible user experience. The OnePlus Nord series is a key part of OnePlus’s diversification strategy to expand the product portfolio and share OnePlus’ leading technology with more users. In thoughtfully expanding our product portfolio and making it more comprehensive, we are looking to address the diverse user needs that have emerged in recent years. The OnePlus Nord 2 caters to the needs of those users who want a flagship experience at an affordable price point,” explained Nakra.

OnePlus has been quick enough to pull the OnePlus Nord from its website around the launch of the new Nord 2. With this, the Nord is now officially discontinued, and we are not surprised.

Is Nord CE the biggest rival to the new Nord 2? OnePlus disagrees

Considering, the OnePlus Nord CE is currently the cheapest in the company’s portfolio. Don’t you think Nord CE will be the biggest rival to the new Nord 2 in India? Nakra starts by explaining how these two devices are totally different in their own way with a different set of target audiences.

“With the OnePlus Nord CE, we have distilled the original Nord down to its core elements and added essential features to create a great everyday smartphone at an even more affordable price. The key criteria while designing the phone were to provide an enhanced user experience for consumers with a powerful processor, superior display, a robust camera setup, and a premium OnePlus experience,” he said.

Further, Nakra added that the Nord CE is now the entry-level product and serves as the first OnePlus smartphone for many users looking to enter the OnePlus ecosystem.

About the Nord 2, Nakra said, “The OnePlus Nord 2, on the other hand, will bring an uncompromised performance powered by AI, a smarter camera system and all the essentials of a smartphone that make it comparable to flagships. In delivering a premium yet accessible experience.”

Why MediaTek over Qualcomm for the Nord 2?

The Nord 2 is also the first OnePlus to pack a MediaTek chipset. What were the discussions and thoughts behind this decision? “The OnePlusNord 2 integrates a flagship MediaTek chipsetDimensity1200-AI and, combined with the collaborative work we have done, it allows us to bring an even faster and smoother experience on the Nord 2. We have worked closely with MediaTek to collaborate on the SoC and enhance its AI-based features. To highlight the new AI capabilities of the chipset, we have named it Dimensity1200-AI to distinguish it fromthe standardDimensity1200,” added Nakra.

Talking about the camera prowess, he added, “Equipped with AI photo enhancement, AI video enhancement, dual viewing mode and Nightscape Ultra to deliver crisp, high-quality stabilized photos and videos, and great low-light shots, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G promises users a robust photography experience.”

Is the new Nord series chasing a sales target?

There’s no doubt that India is a key market for OnePlus, and the company keeps bringing new products to strengthen its product line-up. But considering the new Nord series is steadily expanding, is there a target that OnePlus is chasing?

“This year, our commitment has been towards making premium experiences more accessible to users than ever before. From innovation, hardware, and software optimisations to leading tech collaborations, we remain committed to bringing superior technology into the hands of our users for a no-compromise, product experience at varying price points,” Nakra starts with some context.

“As we unveil the latest OnePlus Nord 2 today and continue to offer the signature Nord experience across price categories, we are happy to share that we project that by the end of 2023, the accumulated sales volume of the OnePlus Nord product line will reach 25 million units globally,” he added.