OnePlus has further confused the situation surrounding the OnePlus 9T, suggesting that rumors of the model's demise may be unfounded.

A recent tweet from OnePlus leaker Max Jambor had sparked reports that the OnePlus 9T may be dead, but OnePlus had refused to comment on the situation. However, OnePlus' tweet yesterday seems to indicate that the OnePlus 9T may be on its way.

The tweet, posted just before Samsung announced the new Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 at its latest Unpacked event, was certainly puzzling in some respects. It showed a OnePlus 9 phone in a cup of tea and was accompanied by the words "#OnePlus9 in a cup of tea."

And the tweet also says not to read too much into it, as if the company is intentionally confusing people and seeing how they will react OnePlus will be aware of the 9T rumors and letting people guess the fate of the upcoming phone is a great way to arouse hype.

In a typical year, the OnePlus 9T would no doubt appear within a few months; OnePlus' normal phone release schedule sees a "T" model each fall, with a few minor upgrades to keep the product line fresh. Such is the case with the OnePlus 8T, which has a higher refresh rate display, additional cameras, a larger battery, and faster charging compared to the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 7T before it.

Then again, this is not a typical year. The global chip shortage has caused production problems for many companies, and it is quite possible that OnePlus has decided to skip the "T" version of the 9. After all, with no Samsung Galaxy Note 21 this year, OnePlus would not be alone in this decision.

There is also good reason to believe that the OnePlus 9T is not needed. After all, the OnePlus 9 is an excellent phone in its own right, and as previously mentioned, OnePlus already has a pretty nasty portfolio of phones.

The company's latest tweet does little to clarify things anyway, only indicating that OnePlus is aware of the speculation. We will have to wait and see what happens next on this matter.