It has been the biggest storm the tech teacup has seen for a while. When it was announced that OnePlus would not be including its iconic alert slider on its next flagship device, the OnePlus 10T, the outrage button was hit with a vengeance by many OnePlus fans, current and former. The move is being seen by many as part of the Oppo-fication of the brand, especially given the close ties between the two brands now (many agencies include OnePlus phones in Oppo's market share). This outrage is very similar to the hue and cry that followed OnePlus' plan of greater integration between its own OxygenOS and ColorOS. OnePlus had to step back from that decision in the face of all the criticism that came its way.
Alert slider history: Sliding in with the OnePlus 2…
It remains to be seen if that will happen in the case of the alert slider. For those who are not familiar with it, the slider is a small sliding button on the side of OnePlus smartphones, moving which allows the user to switch between silent, vibrate, and ring modes. It is a bit of a variation of the button that you find on the left of most iPhones, which lets you switch between silent and ring modes. It was first introduced with the OnePlus 2, has since then been an integral part of OnePlus' flagship devices, and was even seen in the early editions of its Nord series aimed at the mid-segment.
Although not marketed as heavily as some other features of OnePlus phones (like OxygenOS, Warp Charge, and so on), it was considered an integral part of the OnePlus phone ecosystem, especially by OnePlus fans.
There were, however, indications that OnePlus itself was not quite as attached to the alert slider as some of its supporters were. The Nord CE series was released in 2021 without the slider. This was noticed but did not result in too much of a tumult as it was assumed that the brand had ditched it to cut down on the price of the devices, which was aimed at the sub-Rs 25,000 segment. What's more, OnePlus brought features like a 3.5mm audio jack and even expandable memory to CE series devices, which seemed to mitigate the absence of the alert slider.
…and now sliding out with the OnePlus 10T?
However, when OnePlus ditched the alert slider on the OnePlus 10R a few months ago, there was genuine concern among OnePlus followers that the brand was turning its back on the feature. Interestingly, while the absence of the alert slider on the OnePlus 10R was noticed, it did not invite the OnePlus 10T-level outrage. Perhaps this was because many viewed the OnePlus 10R as a clone of a Realme device with very similar specs and design. The 10R was also not seen as a "real flagship" in some quarters as it came with a MediaTek processor (albeit a very powerful one) and because the R series has been seen by many as a slightly more affordable add-on to the main premium flagship series.
The decision to drop the alert slider from the soon-to-be-released OnePlus 10T has, however, triggered more extreme reactions. This is perhaps because the T series has always been seen as an enhanced version of the original premium flagship (except perhaps in the case of the OnePlus 9RT), with a better processor. The better processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Generation 1) is very much there on the OnePlus 10T as is an impressive amount of RAM (up to 16 GB), but there is no sign of the alert slider.
Alert slider exit: The reason(s) why
OnePlus had indicated that the alert slider would not be present on the OnePlus 10T itself. In a OnePlus Community post on July 25, it explained why this was the case:
Many fans have been contemptuous of this explanation, with many pointing out that removing the 2-megapixel sensor on the phone would have made more sense than doing away with a feature that made a OnePlus flagship so distinct from others. It has been said that with the removal of the alert slider, there would be very little left to distinguish a OnePlus phone from an Oppo or even a Realme phone.
Our sources in the industry have been less dismissive of OnePlus' reasons for ditching the slider, saying it does make sense. A few others have pointed out that no brand likes having moving parts on a phone, as it makes them more fragile and difficult to repair. "It is another thing that can go wrong," an executive from a rival company, who wishes to be unnamed, explained with a shrug. As for why the brand did not remove a low-megapixel camera instead, a person who is part of the servicing teams of a leading brand said, "It is not as easy as just removing something and putting something in its place. The slider is on the edge of the phone, while the cameras are deeper inside. That is likely to be the reason why the slider was removed. It was simply easier to remove."
The fact that no other brand users alert sliders could also have made the feature more expensive, as per some. "If everyone used it, economies of scale would have kicked in. As of now, only OnePlus uses it, so it might actually cost more to make it, and that cost would be passed on to the brand." However, one thing that everyone we talked to in the industry was sure of was that OnePlus is unlikely to have taken the decision without having considered its implications. "If it is a feature everyone loves a lot, leaving it out without offering something massive in return, would make no sense at all. No brand is so suicidal as to alienate its target audience," one of our sources pointed out. "Perhaps the brand's target audience does not value that slider as much. We are reasonably sure that OnePlus would have done ample research before going for this decision," he added.
RIP alert slider? Or will it slide back?
OnePlus has insisted that the exclusion of the alert slider from the OnePlus 10T does not mean the end of the alert slider, which could be seen as a hint that it might appear on other phones in the future. Some conspiracy theorists feel that this might actually be a move to make the alert slider a more exclusive and premium feature. More than one executive has pointed out how Coca-Cola withdrew the original Coke in the eighties — the move sparked outrage but made the return of the soft drink even more popular than in the past. "The alert slider could give them a reason to keep the price of their premium range on the high side," an executive explained. "It becomes one more extra feature you get for paying a high price — it is difficult to project a feature as premium if it is present on a phone that is available at half the price. We expect the Nord series to lose it too. "
Whether OnePlus has laid the alert slider to rest for good, or just sent it off on a staycation, to return refreshed on a newer, more expensive flagship will be revealed in the coming days — perhaps in 2023. A lot will depend on whether the actual consumers miss the alert slider on the OnePlus 10T as much as many on social media claim they will. Stay alert — the alert slider saga ain't over yet.