OnePlus, Qualcomm to start 5G trials in India

OnePlus also said it will be one of the first companies to launch a Snapdragon 855 smartphone in India.

Qualcomm and 5G logos are seen at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 26, 2019. (REUTERS)

Premium smartphone maker OnePlus on Wednesday announced it was working with chipset making giant Qualcomm to start 5G trials in India.

The firm recently displayed its first 5G prototype smartphone powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 855 processor at MWC Barcelona (Mobile World Congress) in Spain.

The company would be among the first original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to launch smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform in the country and work with the chip maker on 5G trials.

"We have been loyal to Qualcomm's 800-series Snapdragon chipsets since the release of our very first flagship device. This strong partnership with Qualcomm makes us believe that we could bring the best 5G device to the world," Pete Lau, Founder and CEO, OnePlus, said in a statement.

The smartphone player initially began research on 5G in 2016.

In 2017, it started working with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., on OnePlus's 5G device development and in August 2018, the OnePlus 5G Project Team established a 5G connection to Qualcomm Technologies' laboratory located in San Diego, US.

It has been working closely with Qualcomm for two years to perfect the technology to meet OnePlus's standards of "fast and smooth", the company added.