Category: OnePlus

OnePlus Co-Founder : Lollipop-Based CM12S to Roll Out in the Next Few Days

The long overdue CyanogenMod12s based on Android Lollipop will soon arrive on Indian OnePlus One handsets. The Chinese consumer electronics company had earlier promised its release before March 31, but it failed to keep its word and blamed certification for the delay. The firm has now assured OnePlus fans with a statement on Twitter that CM12s will release “in the next few days”.

The co-founder of OnePlus, Carl Pei, took to Twitter to announce –

.@jorgepenteado CM12s just passed certification today. Thanks for the patience, expect rollout in the next few days.

— Carl Pei (@getpeid) April 10, 2015

While there will be a short delay in the roll out of CM12s, users can install the all-new custom ROM by the company. OxygenOS was recently made public a couple of days back. The new OS based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop is built based on the “back to basics” approach. The interface is clean, bloat-free and is built to provide maximum performance and battery life.

Here’s a quick look at the cool features of OnePlus’ OxygenOS.

April 11, 2015
OnePlus One Retains Original Price Point in India Despite Increased Custom Duty

With the unveiling of Union Budget 2015-2016, the Indian government made clear that importing mobile devices is not going to remain cheap anymore. The Government of India increased the exercise duty to double and made it 12.5 percent on imported mobile devices; raising the prices of popular phones. However, the flagship killer of 2014 will continue to sell at the same price as OnePlus sent us a message which reads “No Price Hike” for the One devices in India.

Users can still buy OnePlus One at the original cost of Rs. 21,999 for 64GB model and Rs. 18,999 for the 16GB variant. The General Manager of OnePlus India, Vikas Agarwal, commented on this development –

In line with our #NeverSettle philosophy and long term commitment to the Indian market, we assure our users that we are constantly evaluating what works best for them; part of that is to continue to make the One available at an attractive price point.

He further added to his comments, “It is an ambitious step for a young startup, but for us, it’s about returning maximum value to our users by offering them great products and unique experiences.”

OnePlus One has seen a price hike in Europe, but it seems like the tough competition in the Indian market with homegrown makers (such as Micromax) has forced the Chinese firm to stick to the initial rates. The device is available in Sandstone Black and Silk White colour options and can be ordered online via Amazon India, that is if you have an invite. Both the 64GB and 16GB variants hold similar specification and differ only in internal storage space.

Watch our review here:

April 8, 2015
Quick Look at the Coolest Features of OnePlus’ OxygenOS

A couple of days back, OnePlus launched its promised Android-based ROM OxygenOS, thereby reducing its dependance on Cyanogen. It’s the first in-house version of OxygenOS by the Chinese firm and is based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.

The new custom ROM is built on “back to basics” approach and is said to be light with subtle essential features. The company hasn’t played on gimmicks or bloated features, and has built OxygenOS to provide maximum performance and battery life.

Let’s have a look at its features:

1. Quick Notifications Customization

The OnePlus’ OxygenOS offers the Quick Settings option which brings with itself the freedom to customise tiles. In the notifications bar, users can add, remove and re-arrange toggles and can make them disappear just by turning them off. This way, you can have an absolutely empty notifications tray.

2. Freedom of Customization

OnePlus One users really have the freedom to customize with OxygenOS. One can pick from the various wallpapers and set it as thier lock screen. Besides which, users can choose from hardware and software navigation keys from the Setting menu and can disable the capacitive touch screen buttons at the bottom. They’ve provided various short keys for the hardware navigation keys like adjusting the backlight, customizing home button, menu button and more.

3. Off-Screen Gestures

OxygenOS incorporates many off-screen gestures like Double tap to wake up the screen, drawing O to open camera, drawing V to toggle flashlight and pressing three fingers together to start music.

All the other features are unaltered and OnePlus has opted for a minimal-change strategy. OnePlus will release more versions of OxygenOS and the company has asked users’ to provide feedback to help them further make a better and user-friendly OS. The Chinese brand hasn’t released an OTA update and the One users have to install the update using a 6-step installation guide, which is slightly tedious for an average smartphone user.

April 6, 2015
OnePlus Finally Rolls Out OxygenOS for the One

OnePlus One users had been patiently waiting for the fresh operating system – OxygenOS, which the company had announced would release by March end. The deadline passed, however OnePlus didn’t keep its vast user base longing for too long. The Chinese electronics giant today officially unveiled its first, much-talked about operating system, the Oxygen OS, based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.

OnePlus updated its official website with an introduction to OxygenOS. The web page reads, “OxygenOS, a Pure Android experience optimized for the OnePlus One.” Below the text are two links, one is the Installation Guide that walks users through the various installation steps, and the other is the Download Oxygen link, clicking on which the download of the OS starts.

Coming to what OnePlus’ first own operating system has to offer, then the foremost notable point of the OS is that it’s light with subtle essential features. It comes with a slew of features such as smart off-screen gestures, improved file manager and Quick Settings. Users can wake the screen up by performing simple gestures on the lock screen of the OnePlus One. These include O to start camera, V to toggle flash, and pressing three fingers together to play music.

OxygenOS offers a customizable lock screen and allows users to switch between hardware and software navigation keys. The Quick setting feature offers users to add, remove and re-arrange tiles with with few simple clicks.

OnePlus commented that instead of gimmicks and bloated features, they have focused on performance and battery life. It’s the first version of OxygenOS and the firm wants to shape it to ensure a smooth experience for its customers. The tech major has asked feedback from the One users to further make the OS better and user-friendly.

https://youtu.be/Tn4hHhIHLxk

April 4, 2015
OnePlus is Building a Dedicated Customer Support Team, Says it Hears You Loud and Clear

OnePlus has emerged as one of the fastest growing companies in the tech domain. It’s first and only smartphone, the One, is a flagship decimator that provides aggressive performance at an affordable price point. The Chinese smartphone brand got rave reviews for the handset, but was criticized for not having an established Grievance Redressal unit. The company is now working on fixing the loophole by improving their support team.

The firm addressed in its official blog post they understand the need of a customer support team and are working to make the support experience amazing for every customer. OnePlus mentioned that it has expanded the customer service team and the department now employs the highest number of members in the company. The support team has increased by 4500% since the time of its launch. Meanwhile, social media like Twitter and Facebook will continue to be the main platforms to address customer complaints.

Agent expertise is the next segment where the company will have its major focus. The agents catering to customers feedback will undergo an intensive training through weekly workshops where they will learn soft skills, tech support, policy changes and more. This means, customer service executives will be trained to be as polite as they can.

Also, OnePlus shared one more update about the warranty and return policy of its products. The company remarked that from now on, all its accessories will come with an extended one year warranty, and a no-questions-asked return policy extends from 14 days to 15 days. In addition, OnePlus stated that it tries to respond to every request within the minimum time frame of 9 hours, which is faster than the average industry response time of 21.2 hours.

It’s nice to see that a company that is about a year old making efforts to maintain a healthy customer relationship. We hope that the smartphone label establishes a strong link with its customers and stays true to the promises it makes.

April 3, 2015
As Promised OnePlus Unveils its New Drone, the DR-1

Just a few days back we got news from OnePlus that it would be bringing a drone to its line-up of products. Today the company did bring out the drone, and many claim that it is an April Fool’s prank. However, we just placed an order for two.

OnePlus created a fantastic product website for DR-1. It talks about the features of the new drone which includes the ability to fly higher than any other drone in the market and a simple controller.

The website also has a 30 second teaser video for the product with some sexy graphics. At the end of the video, you get a clear indication that the DR-1 is nothing but a toy with OnePlus branding on it.

A few lucky fans of OnePlus will get to own this remote controlled toy. All you need to do is go on Facebook, fill up a simple form and tag two friends. Even though it isn’t a full-fledged drone that some of you must have been hoping for; you still get to own a tiny OnePlus souvenier. This is definitely better than the usual pranks by Google which just end up making you feel embarrassed and sad inside. So go ahead and prank your friend with a link to DR-1’s website.

April 1, 2015
OnePlus’ Upcoming Gaming Gadget Could be a Drone

In spite of being almost a year old, OnePlus has earned a reputation for being a renowned smartphone brand. For now, it has just OnePlus One in its Devices segment, but the Chinese manufacturer announced earlier this month that it would soon launch an entirely new product in April.

OnePlus turned down all the possibilities of the new device being a smartphone, tablet, or a smartwatch, and declared that it will be a ‘game changing’ product. Now, it seems like we have an idea of what the company was talking about.

OnePlus made the announcement during an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit, and what came out from the conversation was unpredictable. The forum administrator David S. replied to the queries saying that the upcoming product would be a drone. It’s not certain if he was trolling, but his comment reads, “It’s a drone, the DR-1 and we start selling it next month.”

It’s surprising to hear that how drone technology, at this point of time, could be a game changer when many companies have already come up with remarkable unmanned aerial vehicles. For now, the OnePlus fans have to wait till April for the company to officially make an announcement.

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March 27, 2015
OnePlus Misses Oxygen OS Rollout Deadline, Will Compensate with Giveaways

On March 18, we broke the news that OnePlus will be releasing the upgrades; CM 12S and OxygenOS. The Chinese electronics manufacturer promised the OnePlus One users that OxygenOS, the Lollipop-based ROM, will officially be made public on or before March 27, which is today. But OnePlus has missed the deadline leading to disappointed customers who were really looking forward to their Lollipop updates.

OnePlus notified its users saying that there will be further delay in the release of the update. The company representative David posted on Reddit –

We are gonna be giving away the 5 devices sometime tomorrow, yes :(

However the company is ready to give away five 64GB OnePlus One smartphones as promised, It is not the first time OnePlus missed a deadline for the launch of its new OS. It had previously declared that it will release its own new operating system Oxygen on February 12, but didn’t carry out the roll out.

OnePlus is a young smartphone brand that has released just one smartphone till now. It is planning to expand its line of devices and is expected to launch a second smartphone soon. It’s certain that the delay would be because of the company’s efforts to bring out a stable version, and we appreciate its dedication. We hope that the firm will not keep its users waiting for long this time and will release OxygenOS as soon as possible.

March 27, 2015
Flagship-Killer OnePlus One to Go Invite-Free for a Day in India

OnePlus One is going on open sale on the 24th of March on Amazon India. The handset will be available without an invite. The sale will kick off at 10am IST and both the 64GB Sandstone Black, as well as the 16GB Silk White OnePlus One will be available.

There is no announcement about the number of units going up for sale, however, the company has stated that they’re coming with limited stock.

OnePlus makes sure to keep one-day open sales every now and then; the last one was on the 10th of February (not including the Happy Hour sales). Although they may say they’re coming with limited stock, the last time the smartphone was available on Amazon for quite a few hours – unlike Xiaomi’s notorious 5-second flash sales.

Know anyone who has been trying to score an invite? Go ahead, spread the word.

Before you make the purchase, don’t forget to check out our full review of the device:

March 20, 2015
OnePlus Goes Beyond Smartphones, Teases New Gaming Hardware

Recently, at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015 in Barcelona, Co-Founder of OnePlus, Carl Pei, hinted that it might be working on a new product category. Pei suggested that the new product may not fall under the category of a smartwatch or a tablet. Now, OnePlus has released a series of three images, which have been posted on the company’s website. Each of the images clearly indicate that the Chinese company is interested in playing games.

The posters come with the captions: ‘Start A New Game’, ‘For The Fun Of It’ and ‘You’re in Control.’

The first image shows a red circle with a tagline “Start a new game”, the second image shows a line depicting the logo of the company and reads, “For the fun of it”, whereas the last image portrays a pair of hands holding something which could be larger than a gaming controller and says, “You are in control.”

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Official OnePlus Forum Post”]

It’s been a little over a year since OnePlus was founded, and while we launched with our flagship killer smartphone, we have, and always will be, a technology company. Innovation and revolutionary ideas that shake up the industry are what OnePlus has built itself upon.

[/quote]

OnePlus shot to fame in 2014 when it released its flagship Android phone, the OnePlus One. This phone delivered all the specifications of top end flagships, only much cheaper. By the look of the three images, the best guess a person may make is of a gaming console.

Xiaomi has already stepped into the uncharted water of gaming with the release of the Mi Game Controller, a bluetooth-enabled game controller back in January. It seems like it is now time for OnePlus to follow the same path.

March 20, 2015
OnePlus One Price Hiked In Europe, Update For India To Follow Soon

On Wednesday, OnePlus announced a hike in the price for the One in the European market. The company cited the decline in value of the Euro as the reason for increase in the price of the handset. OnePlus also mentioned in its press statement there would soon be an announcement about the pricing strategy of the One in the Indian market.

At present, the pricing of the 16GB OnePlus One in Europe will be €299 (Rs 20,000), which currently is at €269 (Rs 18,000). The 64GB variant will be up for €349 (Rs 23,500) from the present €299 (Rs 21,999). The change in price will come in effect from 25th March onwards. Until that date, the handsets will be available at their current prices. The company stated that the instability of Euro is the biggest reason for the price hike. The company has been selling the products at a loss in Europe following the fall in the price of the Euro. In the light of the rate changes, OnePlus has hiked up the price in markets that use Euro as currency.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”OnePlus Blog”]

As you may know, the Euro is quite unstable at the moment. Last year, many other companies insured themselves against this volatility by launching devices with higher prices in Europe than in other markets. This is something that we opted not to do, as we are committed to maintaining razor-thin margins in order to give the most value back to our fans. Unfortunately, as the value of the Euro continued to drop, our razor-thin margins began to turn into 0 margins. Due to the current value of the Euro, we are now selling devices at a loss in the EU. In the light of these exchange rate shifts and trends, we will be making some changes to our pricing structure for the One in markets that use the Euro as currency

[/quote]

The OnePlus accessories won’t be affected by the hike and will be priced as before. The details on future pricing of the OnePlus handsets in India has not yet been released but the company asked to expect an announcement soon. To bring back to mind, the 16GB Silk White OnePlus One is presently selling in India at Rs. 18,999 while the 64GB variant is priced at Rs. 21,999.

March 19, 2015
Get Your New OnePlus One Without An Invite Between 1-2 PM Today

If you were looking forward to buying the OnePlus One but were finding it hard to score an invite, well today is your lucky day. Between 1.00 – 2.00 PM today you will get a chance to own the original flagship killer without an invite.

This is a part of Amazon India’s Happy Hour Deal today. Amazon India has recommended the interested buyers to be signed in before the start of the sale. The e-commerce site also asked the users to update their delivery address and payment details ready as the stocks are expected to fly off the shelves really fast.

The next Happy Hour Deal will take place on the 24th of March where you will be able to to buy the OnePlus One without an invite. So if you end up missing your chance today, there is still chance for you in the next sale. The 16 GB variant of the One is available for 18,999 while the 64GB variant comes at a price of Rs 21,999.

OnePlus has said that the smartphone will be getting an Android Lollipop update and the new Oxygen OS by the end of March. So if you were waiting for the right moment to buy the kickass device, well now is the best time to go for it.

March 19, 2015
OnePlus Assures Lollipop, OxygenOS Updates Arrive Before March End

OnePlus has put an end to the speculations. The Chinese company has provided a set release date for Lollipop updates on One devices, and it looks like the firm will not keep its huge fans waiting too long. Earlier, the Chinese electronics producer issued the upgrade launch date and had disappointed the customers by not delivering the same. But this time, OnePlus has spread a word through the official forum page of its website saying that Android Lollipop will be available on or before March 30.

The company declared the precise launch date of the update:

CM 12S: The official OTA update for the OnePlus One will be released on or before March 30, 2015

OxygenOS: The official release of our own Lollipop-based ROM will be available for download on or before March 27, 2015

The official forum page of OnePlus mentions the reasons behind the delayed Lollipop update roll out. The firm remarks that unforeseen complications like OS singing issue, instability of the camera module and many crucial driver flaws cropping in the new Lollipop version.

Not only this, to make its customers believe that they will release the new update unfailingly, OnePlus has made a bold statement of giving away five 64GB OnePlus One devices in case it misses either of the deadlines. Well, this shows how dedicated OnePlus is to keeping its promise.

March 18, 2015
Here’s Why the OnePlus Power Bank Hasn’t Arrived in India

OnePlus Powerbank, one of the most powerful devices by the company, was introduced in December last year. With a price tag of $14.99 (approx Rs. 950), the device delivers a massive power with 10,000 mAh. Enough to charge a OnePlus handset three times in a row.

Unfortunately the release date of 17th March (i.e. yesterday) was meant for US customers only. For potential buyers in Europe and India, the wait has been extended indefinitely.

OnePlus’ Compact and Powerful Power Bank

According to the company, the logistics are being ironed out for smooth processing. Due to the fact the OnePlus power banks are pure batteries (and not connected to any other product); they require special shipping requirements. Due to the safety concerns posed by the power banks in large numbers, the IATA (International Air Transport Association) have tightened the rules and regulations concerning the same and airlines enforcing these regulations more strictly.

Also keeping in mind the fact that administering battery certification is time-consuming. Different countries have different requirements and regulations. OnePlus’ hope of finalizing the certifications did not go as quickly as they had previously assumed.

From the above facts, the OnePlus Power bank may not be seen in the Indian market soon, but its clear that the company is working to get them here as soon as possible. Although we have a feeling, the fuel banks may be worth the wait.

March 18, 2015
Xiaomi Beats OnePlus, Brings Out a Bamboo Version of the Mi Note

One of the most awaited features of the OnePlus One were the multiple textured back panels which were called the StyleSwap Covers by the company. But citing technical issues during production, the company said last year that they were stopping production of the covers as they didn’t meet the standards. That news disheartened a lot of users who wanted to customize their devices with those innovative covers. OnePlus’s compatriot, Xiaomi though has raced ahead of OnePlus in this regard and has brought out a new Bamboo edition of the recently launched Mi Note.

The Mi Note Natural Bamboo edition is priced at $370 (approx Rs. 23000). It is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor along with 3 GB RAM. It flaunts a 5.7-inch Full HD display (1080×1920) with 386 pixel density. It offers support for 4G networks on both of its SIM slots. The device runs MIUI v6, which is based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat. It offers 13MP rear camera with dual-tone dual-LED flash and a 4 MP front camera for clicking selfies. The handset gets its juice from a 3,000 mAh battery.

The kickass back panels promised by OnePlus that never came to the market.

Not to be outdone by Xiaomi, OnePlus also came out with a DIY (Do It Yourself) post which shows how you can easily create customized back panel graphics for your One. The instructions are simple, and it’s really easy to create the back panels which broadcasts your personality to onlookers. All you need is a OnePlus clear case, a printer, photo-editing software, the downloadable OnePlus One blueprint file and a pair of scissors. The blog post by OnePlus also shows some amazing designs that you choose for your One.

The DIY backpanels for the OnePlus One.

The Bamboo edition of the Mi Note will go on Sale in China from March 24th. The textured or back panels are necessary as they transform the monotonous bar shaped devices into personalised art pieces. We hope that more companies start bringing out customizable back panels for the Indian consumers as there is a demand for it especially from the youth market.

March 18, 2015