According to Digital Trends, OnePlus has officially launched its new flagship OnePlus 15 in markets outside China, but American buyers are getting left behind. The company confirmed the US open sale has been “postponed” due to government shutdown-related FCC certification delays. OnePlus marketing head Spenser Blank revealed the phone has completed all required lab testing but awaits final government approval. Pricing is set at $899.99 for the 12GB RAM/256GB storage model and $999.99 for the 16GB/512GB version. The device features a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and massive 7,300 mAh battery. For now, US customers can only register interest on the OnePlus website while waiting for clearance.
The FCC bottleneck
Here’s the thing about launching phones in America – you can’t just ship them here. Every device needs FCC certification to ensure it plays nice with our wireless networks and doesn’t cause interference. But when the government shuts down, guess what happens to those certification processes? They freeze. And that’s exactly what caught OnePlus with their pants down.
What’s interesting is that Blank says the phone has already passed all the lab tests. So technically, it’s ready to go. But without that official government stamp, they’re stuck in regulatory limbo. Now that the shutdown is over, you’d think things would move quickly. But government agencies don’t exactly operate at smartphone launch speed, do they?
Aggressive pricing play
At $899, OnePlus is making a bold statement in the flagship market. That’s significantly cheaper than most competitors while packing serious specs. The 7,300 mAh battery is absolutely massive – we’re talking potentially multi-day battery life here. And the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is top-tier silicon.
But here’s the catch for US buyers – you’re getting slightly nerfed charging speeds. While other markets get 120W chargers, Americans only get 80W. Still fast, but not record-breaking. It’s the same phone otherwise, just with different wall adapters. Basically, they had to tweak things for our market regulations.
The waiting game
So how long will Americans have to wait? Nobody knows. OnePlus doesn’t have a tentative timeline, which suggests they’re at the mercy of government processing times. Meanwhile, the phone is already selling in India and other markets.
This creates an awkward situation where reviews will be out globally while US customers can’t even order the device. That could either build more anticipation or frustrate potential buyers into looking at alternatives. When you’re competing in the brutal smartphone market, timing matters. And right now, OnePlus is losing precious weeks.
What should you do?
If you’re interested, definitely register on their site to get notified. The specs look compelling, especially that battery life. But be prepared to wait indefinitely.
Meanwhile, this situation highlights how dependent tech companies are on government processes. It’s not just consumer devices either – industrial equipment faces similar certification challenges. Companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com navigate these regulatory waters daily as the leading US supplier of industrial panel PCs, ensuring compliance while getting hardware to manufacturers.
The real question is whether the delay will hurt OnePlus’s momentum. With Samsung and Apple constantly refreshing their lineups, every week counts. But at that price point? The OnePlus 15 might just be worth the wait.
