Tag: Oneplus

OnePlus to Unveil Lollipop-Based Oxygen OS on 12th February

After a long wait and facing the occasional ban in India, OnePlus is all ready to head strong into the future with its own operating system(OS). The Chinese company just posted a healthy annual report today and will be unveiling its home made OS on February 12th.

This new operating system will be based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. The company today uploaded a video that shows a OnePlus One device running on Android Lollipop. The description of the video states “OxygenOS is almost here.” From the brief look of the video, it appears that keeping with its traditions, OnePlus hasn’t done any major tweaks to the visual appeal of the operating system. It has kept it close to the stock Android experience.

A few photos have also appeared on the internet which are claimed to be from the upcoming Oxygen OS. Though we don’t vouch for the authenticity of the images, the categorized view of icons sure look appealing. Check out the images below.

In the meanwhile, Cyanogen informed us that the Cyanogen OS 12S is in the final stage of testing and will be provided as an update for global OnePlus devices running Cyanogen 11S.

February 3, 2015
OnePlus is Planning a Design-Driven Smartphone (Other Than OnePlus Two)

Seems like the recent allegations regarding Cyanogen haven’t deterred the Chinese manufacturing firm, OnePlus. Few days back, the Director of OnePlus Global, Carl Pei, revealed that they will soon be launching OnePlus Two and India will be one of the first countries to see the phone. Now, Carl has come up with yet another statement that confirms that the company will be releasing another phone, other than the Two, this year.

While in conversation with PC World, Pei revealed that another phone by the company will cater to the audience for whom design is more prior than the specifications.

I think it’s going to be a phone catering to a different type of audience. Perhaps for those who appreciate design over specs.

The news has come as a surprise and the device is still under wraps (and probably still under works). No statement has come about the specifications, price and availability of the yet untitled gadget, but through the statement, it can be estimated that the handset is in early stages. We will soon update you as soon as we dig out information about the same.

Meanwhile, rumours are still hot about the upcoming flagship OnePlus Two. It is said that the device will sport a 5.5-inch display powered by Snapdragon 805 processor. The internal storage capacity of the handset will be 32 GB and it will house a battery of 3,300mAh. On the camera front, it may have a 16MP shooter along with 5 MP snapper on the front.

Seems like OnePlus has done its research well. In a country like India, a stylish smartphone (even with low specs) will definitely work well. Let’s see where this move takes the company.

January 9, 2015
OnePlus Works Out a New Variant for the Cynogen
The Chinese electronics manufacturer OnePlus was granted some time by the Delhi High Court to think of some alternative to Cyanogen embedded on its devices and the firm has made the best use of this liberty. OnePlus has announced the development of an alpha version of its non-Cyanogen ROM called ‘Android Lollipop Alpha’. It is said to be in the early stages and an official roll out is yet awaited.

The Android Lollipop Alpha is a result of the allegations put by the homegrown smartphone maker Micromax on OnePlus, which was in an exclusive agreement with Cynogen. According to the statement by Micromax, OnePlus devices cannot run on CyanogenMod as the exclusive rights to use the same are with Micromax. The flagship phone was banned by the Delhi High Court and even its promotion and import was restricted in India. Later, the court lifted the ban temporarily and granted the Shenzhen-based electronics giant a few weeks time to come up with an alternative to Cyanogen.

The company said that the new ROM has nothing extra to offer and comes with the stock features of AOSP Lollipop. It also added that users will come across a lot of bugs as the ROM is in early stages.

As per the statement on the OnePlus forum –

This is the first step in what will become our own custom ROM. It’s so early, in fact, that this build contains no extras beyond the stock features of AOSP Lollipop. It’s the base that we will continue to build upon, improve, and customize as we stabilize core functionalities on the latest firmware updates.

As we look towards the official ROM release in the near future, we will keep to our promise and deliver an experience that is customizable, yet bloat-free with stock-Android-like simplicity by default; we wouldn’t ask you to settle for anything less.

Willing users can download the new ROM here, but the company will not cover any damages caused by the Android Lollipop Alpha.

A few bugs known to be occurring in the new ROM are:
1. Data roaming turns on by default
2. The ROM is likely to cause bricking. It’s advisable to take the backup of your data.
3. Unstable camera and video.
4. Capacitive keys do not turn off when you enable software keys.
5. Periodical clock crash.
6. Startup time will be a bit slow on first boot.
7. Unstable Wi-Fi.
8. Build not eligible for OTA updates.
With the deadline on this Chinese smartphone company from the Delhi High Court, it seems that OnePlus has done all it could to work on a variant of the Cynogen. However, this new ROM seems to have a few bugs and it will be interesting to observe whether this will hinder the sales of OnePlus in India.
January 2, 2015
OnePlus Argues One Devices Running on a Different Cyanogen Version

Finally, the Shenzhen-based smartphone manufacturer OnePlus has retaliated; taking on the allegation made by Micromax saying that they are not infringing any rights exclusive to the India consumer electronics firm, Micromax. It argued that the Cyanogen operating system (OS) version used by them is different from that used by Micromax.

Last week a complaint was lodged by Micromax to the Delhi High Court saying that the company has acquired exclusive right to use CyanogenMod trademark all across South Asia. This led to the temporary ban of OnePlus devices from selling, promoting or for that matter, even importing its devices to the Indian soil.

OnePlus argued before a bench headed by Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, commenting that the version embedded in their OnePlus One devices is Cynogen CM11S, while Micromax handsets run on a completely different version of the new software. As per the agreement between Micromax and US-based software firm, an exclusive clause states that Cyanogen cannot collaborate with any another smartphone maker in the Indian subcontinent. However, it did not extend to the fact that a different version could not be used in other devices. The Chinese company also added to its statement that the version point was not mentioned by any judge who has passed the restraining order.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal representing OnePlus said,

It does not mean that we cannot do business.

He also suggested that his client should be given three months time to substitute Cyanogen with another software based on Android operating system and sell its already manufactured devices. It was also observed by the bench that the US-based firm Cyanogen had not been fair to the Chinese manufacturer stating that Micromax didn’t give time to the Chinese firm to make any changes to its device.

“Your client (Cyanogen) did not show fairness to either Micromax or Shenzhen. If this is how you want to proceed, that is wrong,” said the bench to the US firm counsel. Further hearing of the case will be held tomorrow.

Although it certainly seems that OnePlus has been wronged, it will be interesting to observe which way the decision goes. In the meantime OnePlus fans can patiently hope and pray that their beloved phone stays in the Indian market.

December 23, 2014

Secret’s Out! OnePlus Reveals the Cheapest Power Bank Yet

The wait is finally over! The device teased by OnePlus is finally revealed. OnePlus launches the OnePlus Power Bank available soon for a mere $ 14.99 in both Sandstone Black and Silk White.

The OnePlus Power Bank supplies 10,000 mAh of power, enough to provide three full charges for your OnePlus One. The device features lithium-polymer technology, which will make the device incredibly light and portable.

The company promises sleek lines, gentle curves with a soft glow LED indicator. Additionally it is said to have safety features preventing overcharging and overheating.

Detailed specifications include-

Colour variants	Sandstorm Black or Silk White
Battery type	LiPo
Capacity	10,000 mAh
Charging Time	5.5 hours (approx)
Dimensions	142.8 × 72.6 × 16.2 mm
Weight	220g
Safety features	Electrostatic, short-circuit, overcharging, overheating protection
Price	$14.99

The advertisement logo “We’ve got 10,000” and the four dots on the poster (similar to that of Xiaomi) made it quite evident that the device was going to be a power bank.The Portable Powerhouse from China promises no more sitting next to an electric outlet at the airport ever again!

Earlier today OnePlus was sued by Micromax for infringement of patents; as a result they may face a sales ban in India.

December 17, 2014

Thanks to Micromax OnePlus One May Face Sales Ban in India

After the dejection that set on Indian smartphone consumers after the ban on Xiaomi, a new development might infuriate them further. Micromax has filed an infringement complaint calling for a ban on sales of OnePlus devices as it now owns exclusive rights to sell Cyanogen devices in India. The fans of the flagship killer have waited for a long time to get their hands on the exclusive device, and this development might backfire on Micromax.

Micromax is going to launch its own brand of CyanogenMod powered devices called ‘YU’. The company states that it incurred massive costs to create an exclusive brand for selling Cyanogen powered devices in India. The devices are up for launch tomorrow, 18th of December.

According to Livemint, the complaint was registered at Delhi High court and Micromax secured a temporary injunction in the case. The court has ordered OnePlus to refrain from marketing, selling and shipping its popular handsets in India. But to give the Chinese company some relief, the judge allowed them to sell all the remaining stocks they have on hand. OnePlus began selling the handsets on 2nd of December.

OnePlus has a non-exclusive right to use CyanogenMod‘s trademark and software all across the world except China. While Micromax has an exclusive license for South Asia, this might become a major hindrance in the growth path of the OnePlus. The company had major plans for India, including bringing the next generation OnePlus Two in India, but it is yet to be seen what this development leads to. OnePlus also informed the court that Cyanogen intimated them about the exclusive agreement with Micromax just a fortnight before its India launch. The court told OnePlus that it could sue Cyanogen but that can only be governed by the laws of California where the agreement was signed.

It might not actually mean the end of the Chinese company’s India journey. OnePlus is already planning a new OS based on the latest Android L update, but this will lead to the demise of its most appreciated feature, the CyanogenMod.

Micromax on the other hand can gather a bad public reputation following this development. Though they are right in the technical and legal aspects of things, but the public opinion might shift against them and that too just a day before their brand launch. The company will have to bring something exceptional to take on the massive popularity of the OnePlus One.

Micromax if you don’t want to face immense public ire, you better bring something that blows our minds or else you’ll be seen as the killer of the flagship killer in India, and you really don’t want to be that company.

In other (OnePlus) news, they’re launching a secret device today, any guesses what it might be?

December 17, 2014
OnePlus Expected to Bring Out a Secret Device Today

OnePlus has been in the news a lot lately. Recent leaks talk about the existence of a purported OnePlus One Mini and secondly, its partnership with MaxxAudio for the One. However, it seems the company is not yet finished with the announcements.

OnePlus posted the image you can see below on its official Google+ account yesterday. It sure has something big coming in, but the company did not mention what. The caption reads, “Need a reason to be excited for tomorrow? We’ve got 10,000. #NeverSettle.” The image reads “Go further” and includes four LED lights.

Many think it might be the OnePlus One Mini, since it just leaked yesterday, however, there is no way to confirm the authenticity of the leaked reports. As for now, the company has been tight-lipped about it. So what is it? The four LED lights and the ‘Go Further’ caption point towards a new accessory, may be a battery pack.

The LEDs look quite similar that many external battery packs use to signal the amount of charge they’re currently holding. OnePlus has been trying its luck in the accessory segment with the recent release of new cases and headphones, and so a battery pack might be another addition.

December 17, 2014
OnePlus Director Confirms India to be One of the First Countries to See the ‘OnePlus Two’

OnePlus One is received blissfully by the Indian users and why not, the phone is such a great offering at a marginal price. The Co-Founder of OnePlus and the Director of OnePlus Global, Carl Pei, is immensely delighted with the overwhelming response to ‘One’ and has thanked all the Indian OnPlus fans to make the device a success.

Carl shared his views in an official blog post saying, “As a company that’s not yet even a year old, and has no track record on which to stand upon, your faith in our product and vision is humbling. We know we made you wait a while. We understand the wait could be frustrating, but looking back, we are glad that we waited until all pieces were in place.” He also mentioned that India is an important marketplace and the country wouldn’t be lagging behind in receiving the upcoming smartphones from the company.

Pei seized the attention of the Indians OnePlus One fans with his comment, “We have some big plans in the works, India. And while it took a while for us to get the One to you, we promise that won’t be the case in the future. India will be one of the first countries to see our newest products in the future.” This ascertains the fact that like we will be the first one to see the forthcoming ‘OnePlus Two’.

The Chinese manufacturer feels that there is a need to establish an office in the country and it is working hard in this direction. Pei mentioned that the company is planning to set up a local headquarters in Bangalore, which is said to house a GM, local marketing and logistics team, along with Research and Development team. India will soon be having a local PR to update us with its all important company advancements.

Well, with this post, the OnePlus has kept us longing for the future OnePlus gadget.

December 14, 2014
It’s Loud and Clear, Cyanogen Not to Provide OTA Updates for Indian OnePlus One

There has been a lot of confusion amongst Indian buyers about the updates on the One. CyanogenMod was one of the most prominent features of the OnePlus One. The regular updates along with amazing customizability features made the phone everybody’s dream come true. The Indian customers have had to wait a long while for the taste of the One and it got soured by the reports of Indian devices not getting any updates. That fear, unfortunately, became officially confirmed today.

CyanogenMod officially announced that it won’t be sending any OTA updates to the OnePlus devices that are bought in India. The company had previously said in a blog post that it will be providing support to the global devices in India. The keyword was “global devices” and devices sold directly in India won’t be getting the OTA updates. The company made it clear this time around saying in its blog post,“If a user in India purchased a OnePlus One global device in channels outside of India, they will receive our OTA firmware updates. However, this excludes OnePlus One regional devices sold directly in India.”

The company also mentioned loud and clear that the reason behind this discrimination is Cyanogen’s exclusive partnership with Micromax to make the YU devices. If you still want to use CyanogenMod on your device then you can easily flash the CyanogenMod ROM on it. OnePlus still has a global partnership with CyanogenMod, so the global Ones are covered for a considerable period.

But this news shouldn’t get the potential customers of the One disappointed as OnePlus has said that it has better backup plans. The company plans to bring in its own OS based on Android Lollipop. The company says that a production build will be ready by as soon as February. OnePlus says that this OS will be bloat-free and will bring a stock Android experience along with the new Material design.

Though it’s an unfortunate news for the Indian consumers, many have waited for months to get their hands on the flagship killer. Cyanogen’s updates made the phone so flawless; OnePlus has a serious challenge of matching the rapid updates and bug fixes provided by Cyanogen. The company would have to come up with an exceptional OS of its own to keep the device on the high pedestal it sits on.

December 10, 2014
Giveaway : 50 India-Specific OnePlus One Invites

The ‘Flagship Killer’ finally arrived in India on 2nd December. Now everyone seems to be asking for invites to this mammoth spec’d phone. Luckily for them, we are giving away 50 India invites to purchase the OnePlus One Smartphone.

Simply enter the sweepstakes below and you stand a chance to win. Follow the Instructions carefully and read the terms and conditions on the form as well as here. This Giveaway is open only for the residents of India.

Update: The winners have been announced! Fifteen winners are listed below the rest 35 can be found in the contest box further below . Congratulations! We’ll be getting in touch with you shortly.

Anirban Bluish Dey
Daisy Gupta
Tushar Kanojia
Omkar Aradwad
Akshay Prabhu
Aryan Pathak
Amey Kulkarni
Sahil Shukla
Prateek Singhal
muthu krishna
Siddhartha Nagpal
Paawan Chawla
Rupesh Tayde
Abhas Darnale
Divyakant Thaledi

Also, don’t forget to check out our exclusive interview with OnePlus India. We try and get all the important questions answered.

Watch it here:

December 5, 2014
Top 4 Ways to Make Sure You Score a OnePlus One Invite in India

Well, the ‘Flagship Killer’ has landed in India. The 2nd December event created much excitement among the smartphone lovers. However, the fact that you need to get your hands on an invite to get the OnePlus One has left many confused about how to get the same.

Although, Amazon and OnePlus have integrated their account services to make it simple for those with invites to purchase their smartphones. There is still some confusion about the invite system. Well, the company has been known for its mismanaged marketing strategy, however, this time around it seems everything is going smooth.

If you are still wondering how to get hold of an invite, there are quite a few ways to get it. Read on for more:

1. Amazon Contests

Amazon and OnePlus are currently running a couple of contests to help you grab the One. Amazon users can earn invites by spotting and clicking on the ‘One in a 1000’ contest across the internet, including select social media websites. A total of 1,000 users that spot and click these contest ads will win an invite. Another method to win one of the 4,000 invites runs involves simply connecting your Facebook account to Amazon India.

2. OnePlus Accounts

The company will be running marketing or engagement events on its social media, same as it did in other countries, through which it will give out invites. So make sure you like or follow the official accounts on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.

3. Get a Friend To Buy One

Same as in other countries, anyone who has managed to get a OnePlus One smartphone will also receive an invite that can be shared with friends, family or anyone. These invites are valid typically up to 3 and 6 weeks of purchase.

4. OnePlus Forum

The website forum is the most famous and efficient way to get an invite. Users who join the OnePlus One forum can either win an invite via an engagement event or contest, or through other forum members distributing the invites. However, there is no way to check the authenticity of the forum members giving out the invites.

Need to know more about the OnePlus One before you start hunting for invites? Watch our full review here:

December 3, 2014
Planning on Buying the OnePlus One in India? Here’s All You Need to Know

OnePlus One is denoted as the smartphone of the decade. The cult smartphone has been termed as the ‘Flagship Killer’ for its amazing features and price, and the good news is that it is now coming to India. OnePlus One will still be sold in India through India-specific invites with an exclusive availability on Amazon.in. The company is holding a press event on 2nd December to launch the smartphone in New Delhi. Here are some pointers to go through before you decide to get the One.

India-Specific Invites Vs. Global Invites

If you have a global invite, you can buy it from http://OnePlus.net/one but then the OnePlus website doesn’t offer shipping to India. However, there is a way around. You can pay a courier forwarding service like PPO Box to get it shipped to India, which will cost some extra bucks. Global invites are easy to come as they are periodically shared on Facebook groups and can be asked from a person who already has a OnePlus One.

The company planned to give away the Indian invites for those who registered at OnePlus.net/in for the newsletter. The selected people will get an email tomorrow with a confirmation link. Once you get the invite, you’ll have 48 hours to purchase the One, otherwise the invite will expire.

Amazon is regularly conducting competitions like ‘One in a 1000’ to give away the invites. In the competition, people were asked to share a photo of OnePlus ‘Never Settle’ and out of those people, invites were given to a selected few. Once the first batch of the One is sold, the users can forward the invites to other people like global invites.

Warranty

The One purchased by global invites will not come under warranty in India as explained by the CEO Carl Pei. There is quite a confusion about this, however, it is said that once India gets included in the list of OnePlus One countries, the global warranty will be valid in India too. Anyhow, this was not an official statement and still it is not clear how the company is planning to handle the warranty system.

Cyanogen Updates

The company has shared some disappointing news on its official blog. Well, Cyanogen had granted exclusive rights in India over the Cyanogen system to another company. That means, the flagship killer will be reaching the country with the popular Cyanogen OS onboard for now. However, it won’t be getting any official support or future updates. The company also added that the One will continue to be supported globally and receive frequent OTAs.

The reason for this disappointment is a recent agreement between Cyanogen and homegrown smartphone maker Micromax, through which the latter has exclusive rights to offer devices with the custom platform in India. So, while the company has no other choice than to bring the OnePlus One to the country with the CM11S OS inside, it’ll be developing its own firmware as a replacement in the future.

Also, people who bought the phone from the global invites will continue to get the OTA updates. However, Indian users can root their phones (which doesn’t void the warranty) and install the CyanogenMod Installer from the Play Store, and the latest version of CM ROM (Android) will run on your One.

Service Centres

As of now, there is no information about how the company is planning to provide services in the country. This is one of the major concerns for the Indian users who have purchased the device through global invites. The company is expected to officially announce what are they planning to do in this area tomorrow, so stay tuned.

The iGyaan Verdict

The Oneplus One 64 GB variant is expected to cost around Rs. 24,990 while the 16 GB variant is likely to come at a price of Rs. 19,990. Although the prices are slightly more than the $ price, they are much less than the Indian price of major flagships. So for the price of one LG G3, HTC One M8 etc you could typically get , “One Plus One” = 2 phones.

If you can get your hands on an invite today, do not think twice and get the phone, in fact you should have owned it yesterday.

For everything else, watch our full review here:

December 1, 2014
Cyanogen Ditches OnePlus in Favour of Micromax in India

While Indian smartphone lovers were anticipating the launch of the ‘Flagship Killer’, OnePlus has dropped a bomb that was not expected by anyone. The company has shared some disappointing news on its official blog. Well, Cyanogen had granted exclusive rights in India over the Cyanogen system to another company.

That means, the flagship killer will be reaching the country with the popular Cyanogen OS onboard for now. However, it won’t be getting any official support or future updates. The company also added that the One will continue to be supported globally and receive frequent OTAs.

The reason for this disappointment is a recent agreement between Cyanogen and homegrown smartphone maker Micromax, through which the latter has exclusive rights to offer devices with the custom platform in India. So, while the company has no other choice than to bring the OnePlus One to the country with the CM11S OS inside, it’ll be developing its own firmware as a replacement in the future.

The company estimated that they will be able to release our first community build to Indian users next month and have a production-ready build in February. The system will be based on Lollipop, the company said, and will be built to be stable, fast, and lightweight. The smartphone manufacturer also revealed that it will be bloatware-free and will only carry the features important to users. It further stated that they don’t have any intention to iterate Google’s Material design and stock Android experience.

Cyanogen OS was one of the main reason a lot of people wanted to get their hands on the OnePlus One. The fact that Cyanogen saves users from the trouble of rooting, unlocking the bootloader and flashing a new ROM as well as assures them that the phone will be supported in the long run, have made it popular and it has built quite a following in recent years.

As we reported earlier, OnePlus One is going to launch on 2nd December (tomorrow) in India and will be sold exclusively through Amazon.in. The device is expected to be priced around Rs. 24,990 for 64 GB and Rs. 19,990 for 16 GB variant.

December 1, 2014
OnePlus One Goes Invite-Free This Black Friday

Much has been said and heard about the ‘flagship killer’. Earlier it was said that OnePlus One will be accessible to only a selected few through invite system and later, the news of its availability on Amazon through the same system surfaced. Now, forget about all what you have heard as the OnPlus One is open for all on Black Friday in selected countries (United States, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, Belgium, Austria, Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Portugal).

The official site of OnePlus One showcases a banner which says that the handset will be available on order to all the willing customers till stocks last. The official forum alarms you that the offer is valid till Black Friday only and the ordered phones will reach the buyers by 25th December.

The 16 GB variant of Silver White colour is available at $299 and will reach your doorstep in 10 business days, while the 64 GB Sandstone Black model costing $349 will be delivered as soon as in 5 business days.

Not only One, the company is also offering smartphone accessories like JBL E1+ Earphones, OnePlus Silver Bullet Earphones, OnePlus Tempered Glass Screen Protector, OnePlus HD Screen Protector, OnePlus Screen Protector, OnePlus One Flip Cover, OnePlus One Clear Case, and OnePlus One Data Cable at discounted rates.

Other Offerings by OnePlus

However, India will not be able to avail this offer now, but they will surely receive this device post its launch in India on 2^nd December, exclusively on Amazon. The smartphone (64 GB) is expected to cost Rs. 25,000. For more updates, keep checking iGyaan.in.

November 28, 2014
The Chronicles of The One : OnePlus One’s Journey To India

OnePlus One, or as it is called the ‘Flagship Killer’, has made numerous followers with its impressive design and built quality at a low-end price. Now that the legendary handset is on its way to India, we are rewinding a year to look at how the company was formed and how they are able to reach where they are now.

December 2013

OnePlus was founded on 17th December 2013, in China by Pete Lau, previous Vice President at OPPO, with its headquarter in Shenzhen. The company’s motto is to ‘bringing the best possible technology to users around the world.’ Created around the mantra Never Settle, OnePlus aims to create beautifully designed devices with premium build quality.

January 2014

On 13th January, 2014, Pete introduced OnePlus in a launch event in Beijing as well as its partnership with CyanogenMod. The company said that it would be responsible for the development and design of the hardware, while CyanogenMod would be responsible for the operating system.

April 2014

On 23th April, 2014, Pete announced that the first OnePlus smartphone, the OnePlus One, which will have Qualcomm SnapdragonTM 801 MSM8974AC processor, 3 GB of RAM, a 3100mAh battery, 5.5-inch, 1080p (401ppi) display, and a 13MP Sony Exmor IMX 214 sensor camera. The phone retails for $299 for 16 GB version and $349 for 64 GB version in the US.

On 25th April 2014, OnePlus began its ‘Smash the Past’ campaign. The promotion asked selected participants to make a video while destroying their phones if they wish to purchase the OnePlus One for $1 (US). However, the promotion was misinterpreted and many unselected users destroyed their phones before the promotion start date.

The campaign was highly criticised for environmental waste and safety concerns as the batteries and phone components could have posed a potential threat to those destroying their phones. The company asked the winners to donate their old phones. There were 140,000 entrants in the contest, while just 100 got the most desired phone.

July 2014

On 22nd July, OnePlus announced the release of Bamboo Back Cover edition of the OnePlus One and attracted the attention of Chinese and global users alike.

August 2014

In a contest at the end of August 2014, 10,000 invites were given out, and furthermore it was announced that the invitation system itself would end in October. The company took up #hashtags to choose the lucky winners by launching the contest called #summershot. The interested people had to post a picture that they took in summer and share it on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtags #summershots and #oneplus.

On 13th August, 2014, OnePlus asked its female fans to post a photo of themselves along with OnePlus logo to the company’s forums and the fan with the most votes would receive an invite to purchase a OnePlus One. Hours after the announcement, the campaign was stopped stating that a few ‘rogue’ employees created it.

September 2014

On 18th September, the company announced that it is going to kill off the invite system and stop limiting who gets its unique smartphone. The pre-order page should have been up in September, but unforeseen problems delayed its launch. OnePlus officially announced that starting in late October for a limited time, anyone who wants a OnePlus One can order the phone online. If OnePlus has your phone in stock, it will ship immediately, but if the company’s sold out, you’ll be added to the pre-order list. However, that means if a lot of people order the phone, pre-orders may get pushed back for a long time.

October 2014

The company announced that OnePlus One will soon be launched in India. There was no solid date announced, however, reports hinted the September release. After sometimes, the company confirmed that it will release India-specific invites to prospective ‘One’ consumers online.

November 2014

On 4th November, Co-Founder Carl Pei told Forbes that OnePlus has now sold 500,000 smartphones and is aiming for one million by 2015. In an interaction with The Indian Express, the company claimed that the invite system will prevent shortage of devices for potential customers in India. The invite process is also fair and transparent then the flash sale model. The 64 GB variant is expected to come for less than Rs. 25,000 ($407 approx), which was a bit above the expected price range. However, it still is a great offering if its specs are taken into account.

The company’s newly appointed General Manager for OnePlus India, Vikas Agarwal, posted in a forum on 22nd November, “Firstly, we are thrilled to confirm that the One will be available for our Indian users in December. We can’t wait to bring your favourite phone to your hands. As all the details have now been perfected and last-mile hurdles have been cleared, the exact launch date will soon be announced in the coming days on our forums.”

On 26th November, i.e. today, the company rolled out the invites for the event where it is expected to launch OnePlus One in India. In a teaser image posted on amazon.in, the e-commerce giant said that the smartphone, popularly known as a ‘Flagship Killer’, is expected to be available in the coming days. Amazon India, who has got the exclusive rights to sell the OnePlus One, said on an official teaser, “The Smartphone you have been waiting for, is coming soon,” accompanied by an image of the One and hashtag ‘#TheOneThing’.

Well, we don’t have to wait for long to find out how we can get our hands on the ‘Flagship Killer’.

Our Review of the OnePlus One!

November 26, 2014