OnePlus 13 has a new vegan leather, ‘micro-curve’ around flat display, more

Ben Schoon | Dec 24 2024 - 9:05 am PT

Ahead of its launch in January, OnePlus has detailed a few more points around the hardware of the OnePlus 13, including a new type of vegan leather and how its flat display isn’t really flat.

Speaking to Android Central, OnePlus’ Ryan Ruan, head of OnePlus’s Industrial Design Center, confirmed a few details around the brand’s coming flagship, and it’s largely focused on the hardware design. Ruan says that the OnePlus 13 was designed to feel “better in your hand than any other phone” referring to the flat edges and the transition between the backplate and the front glass.

The backplate this year comes in multiple finishes. One of those, on the “Midnight Blue” color, is a “Microfiber Vegan Leather.” Ruan explains that the finish is designed to offer “a natural leather-like grip without compromising on style or sustainability.” It’s supposed to feel softer than the “plasticky” feel of other vegan leathers, while remaining durable and not affecting wireless charging speeds.

The display on OnePlus 13, meanwhile, is finally flat. However, it’s not quite as flat as what you’ll find on the latest iPhone, Pixel, or Samsung Galaxy device. Instead there’s a “micro-curve” around all four sides of the display which Ruan explains provides better hand feel as the edges aren’t “sharp,” while also making the device more durable through the improved drop resistance that comes with curved glass. That glass isn’t Gorilla Glass, but rather a custom “Ceramic Guard” which is reinforced with nano crystalline. OnePlus says it should be twice as drop resistant.

The interview also mentions that OnePlus 13 has 50/50 weight distribution to where if you rest the device with your finger on the OnePlus logo, it won’t lean one way or another – balanced, as all things should be. It’s also reiterated that the device has “both IP68 and IP69” ratings for dust/water resistance, and a silicon battery at 6,000 mAh.

The OnePlus 13 is set to launch globally on January 7.