OnePlus has launched its latest flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 15, today in a live event. It’s supposed to mark the availability of the phone outside of China, where it came out in October, but the US government shutdown apparently put a damper on the manufacturer’s plans. “As is the case with every smartphone manufacturer, the United States’ Federal Communications Commission certifies OnePlus devices before they are sold in the US,” said Spenser Blank, OnePlus North America’s Head of Marketing & Communications, in a statement. “As a result of the government shutdown, device certifications have been delayed.” That means the US release of the model has been postponed until the FCC approves its certifications.
The company explained that the OnePlus 15 has already gone through all the required tests from labs recognized by the government agency. It is also done submitting formal application for the certifications, and it’s just a matter of waiting for approvals at this point. “We are hopeful that approvals can be generated quickly and as a result, we can bring the OnePlus 15 to our customers in the US expeditiously,” Blank said.
OnePlus 15 is the first phone to ship with OxygenOS 16, the company’s take on Android 16. The OS combines Android’s new customization options with smoother animations and AI-enabled features. OnePlus 15 will be available in Canada today, as planned. Those in the US can visit the company’s page for US customers, where they can type in their contact details to be notified when they can purchase the device. The variant with 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage will set buyers in the US back $900, while the one with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage will cost them $1,000.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-us-government-shutdown-claims-an-unexpected-victim-oneplus-15-143000307.html?src=rss
