OnePlus Offers Full Refunds to OnePlus 12R Buyers After Spec Sheet Gaffe

OnePlus has announced that anyone who has already bought the 256GB storage variant of the OnePlus 12R can return it for a full refund, shortly after apologising for overstating its specifications at the time of its launch. Anyone who is unsatisfied with the device’s actual capabilities can contact OnePlus customer care by March 16 to arrange for a return. OnePlus CEO and President Kinder Lui posted this information to the company’s forum on February 16, giving buyers an entire month to decide their course of action. 

The issue arose when it became apparent to buyers that both the 128GB and 256GB storage versions of the OnePlus 12R use UFS 3.1 storage, even though the company had announced that the higher-priced variant uses UFS 4.0, which is newer and faster. The official spec sheet on the company’s website also stated that this was a difference between the two variants, and UFS 4.0 was also specifically highlighted in a blog post by OnePlus co-founder Pete Lau at the time of the phone’s launch. 

In response to multiple comments and complaints on the OnePlus forum, Liu initially stated “we have made a mistake in our communications for OnePlus 12R” on February 12. He then went on to write “During the launch of the OnePlus 12R, we announced Trinity Engine, a new set of software algorithms that help keep your phone’s memory and storage running fast and smooth for years to come. Due to an error, we stated that the storage enhanced by Trinity Engine would be UFS 4.0 in some variants. I can now confirm that the storage in all variants of the OnePlus 12R is still enhanced by Trinity Engine but is actually UFS 3.1.”

Later the same day, Liu added a comment to the same post asking users to wait for two days while the company worked on figuring out its next steps and coordinating internally. Many users speculated that consumer protection laws in the UK and EU would require the company to offer full refunds and/or partial compensation for those who chose to keep their phones.

Also Read: Full OnePlus 12R Review

The announcement of the refund option came with another apology from Liu, but also a suggestion that UFS 3.1 should be good enough for most people: “We're still confident that OnePlus 12R lives up to the high expectations you have of our devices, and that you will love it when you try it. But I also hope that our quick action shows that we value our relationship with you, our Community, and has helped restore your trust in us.”

Many OnePlus forum members reacted with annoyance and frustration that the company would make such a mistake to begin with, even threatening to file consumer complaints and legal cases. Some stated that they had chosen the higher-priced variant specifically for UFS 4.0 storage, as they want future-proof devices. However, others were less bothered, believing that the difference between storage standards would not even be noticeable in most use cases.

The OnePlus 12R was launched on January 23 in India, along with the more premium OnePlus 12 and OnePlus Buds 3 earphones. It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 SoC, 6.78-inch curved-edge AMOLED screen, and 50-megapixel primary rear camera. It is priced at Rs. 39,999 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, or Rs. 45,999 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and is available in Cool Blue and Iron Grey finishes.