Opinion | Leaked OnePlus 8 limited edition cases show how far OnePlus has diverged from its roots

Launching tomorrow, the OnePlus 8 series has already been teased by the likes of MKBHD. OnePlus has announced that it has partnered with André Saraiva, the artist behind the character Mr. A, for the launch of its OnePlus 8 series, too.

Now, GSMArena has obtained a photo of a few limited edition cases that the OnePlus and André have created. The website believes that these case may be part of a wider collaboration, OnePlus has not stated this publicly. It would seem strange for OnePlus to have published a post on its community forums if it only planned to release three limited edition cases.

Previous leaks about the OnePlus 8 series dictate that the company will release at least six André-branded cases, though. As we have reported, the OnePlus 8 Pro will have a fourth rear-facing camera to the left of the main camera housing, which will sit above a dual-LED flash. Simply, the OnePlus 8 cases on display would obscure these elements.

The designs are not proving popular online, though. They have already been derided on r/oneplus, for example, as they have on GSMArena. In our opinion, producing limited edition fashion cases is the antithesis of OnePlus as a brand. Quoted in 2014 by Engadget as wanting OnePlus to be "the MUJI of the tech industry", Pete Lau has built OnePlus on the foundations of offering high-quality products at reasonable prices. These garish cases show how far OnePlus has now pivoted from its original values.