In Bengaluru, India, OnePlus is promising that you’ll be able to get a OnePlus One in one hour or less
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There are a number of things you can get in an hour – pizza naturally comes to mind first. But OnePlus now is promising that if you live in the city of Bengaluru in India, you too can expect to get a OnePlus One in one hour from placing your order, or the phone is free. For most of us, this seems like an entirely unnecessary marketing stunt, but the intensity of OnePlus’ marketing is what has gotten it to where it is now – and it’s clear that it works. Considering that the OnePlus One has technically be superseded by the OnePlus 2, the One actually still holds up quite well with its Snapdragon 801 and 3GB RAM – and the lowered price shouldn’t be looked past either, going for Rs 18,998 right now (~$290 USD).
However, like many of OnePlus’ other campaigns, this one is only on from October 8th to the 10th (and you need to order it through the Blowhorn app), so you’ve only got just over a day to see whether OnePlus can follow through on its pizza-like delivery. Of course, if you don’t live in Bengaluru, OnePlus says that if this campaign is a success, it will attempt it in other Indian cities as well.
What do you think about OnePlus’ latest marketing stunt? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Mashable
The post In Bengaluru, India, OnePlus is promising that you’ll be able to get a OnePlus One in one hour or less appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
In Bengaluru, India, OnePlus is promising that you’ll be able to get a OnePlus One in one hour or less
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
There are a number of things you can get in an hour – pizza naturally comes to mind first. But OnePlus now is promising that if you live in the city of Bengaluru in India, you too can expect to get a OnePlus One in one hour from placing your order, or the phone is free. For most of us, this seems like an entirely unnecessary marketing stunt, but the intensity of OnePlus’ marketing is what has gotten it to where it is now – and it’s clear that it works. Considering that the OnePlus One has technically be superseded by the OnePlus 2, the One actually still holds up quite well with its Snapdragon 801 and 3GB RAM – and the lowered price shouldn’t be looked past either, going for Rs 18,998 right now (~$290 USD).
However, like many of OnePlus’ other campaigns, this one is only on from October 8th to the 10th (and you need to order it through the Blowhorn app), so you’ve only got just over a day to see whether OnePlus can follow through on its pizza-like delivery. Of course, if you don’t live in Bengaluru, OnePlus says that if this campaign is a success, it will attempt it in other Indian cities as well.
What do you think about OnePlus’ latest marketing stunt? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Mashable
The post In Bengaluru, India, OnePlus is promising that you’ll be able to get a OnePlus One in one hour or less appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Is OnePlus done? What next for the “Flagship Killer?”
Almost 18 months ago, a little known Chinese company by the name of OnePlus announced its arrival into a saturated marketplace in a big way, with the OnePlus One.
Dubbed the “Flagship Killer”, OnePlus adopted a strategy that revolved around viral marketing and aggressive pricing, and at the same time kept a high demand for their phone (or arguably the illusion of it) by making it difficult to buy, thanks to the (dreaded) invite system. The buzz around the company’s first handset was certainly large enough to see it through an entire year and while users have still ‘battled’ to get invites for this year’s OnePlus 2, the cracks are beginning to show in OnePlus’s armour.
Faced with rivals adopting parts of the model that proved so successful for OnePlus, coupled with the company’s public and abject failure in launching the OnePlus 2 properly, we’re asking: is the company done? Can it recover and if so, where does the “Flagship Killer” go from here?
What made OnePlus special?
Before we can look at the future of the company, we need to revisit its past to discover (and remind ourselves) of the things that made OnePlus special last year.
See also: Is OnePlus going to launch a Mini too?
As a company, it launched with aplomb through clever teasers, a solid smartphone offering and a willingness to be public in its dislike of overpriced rival flagship devices. There’s an age-old saying that “You want what you can’t have” and this is a fundamental ingredient around the success of the OnePlus One; a short amount of supply.
OnePlus One in video:
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Far too often, startups hope to dominate the world from day one and these lofty ambitions result in over estimation of demand, resulting in too much supply and a bottoming of the price. The net result is the company ends up selling its stock at a loss and eventually falls by the wayside. To prevent the same, OnePlus came up with the invite system, which allowed it to only produce enough handsets to meet demand but of course, the company underestimated the demand (or did it?), resulting in stock shortages for the better part of a year.
Aside from the inability to buy the OnePlus One, resulting in an increased desire for consumers to own one, the handset was also special as it was the first time we’d really seen a company offer a flagship handset at an affordable price (aside from perhaps the Nexus 4 and 5). Although the likes of Xiaomi had done this before in select markets, OnePlus gained significant global traction very quickly and much faster than any of the established players had managed.
Were we looking at the birth of a new force to be reckoned with in mobile? At the time, yes; now, over a year later and several months after the OnePlus 2, the answer is unequivocally no.
What went wrong for OnePlus?
In a word; the OnePlus 2.
The OnePlus One was fantastic as OnePlus shocked the industry by offering the same specs as the flagships of the year at a significantly lower cost, but in the year that passed between these two handsets, OnePlus’s rivals caught up and surpassed the company.
Let’s take a look at the OnePlus 2 specs and how it compares to the flagships:
| OnePlus 2 | Galaxy S6 | One M9 | Xperia Z3+ | LG G4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.5-inch LCD Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
5.1-inch AMOLED QHD (2560×1440) |
5-inch LCD FullHD (1920×1080) |
5.2-inch LCD FullHD (1920×1080) |
5.5-inch LCD QHD (2560×1440) |
| SoC | Snapdragon 810 | Exynos 7420 | Snapdragon 810 | Snapdragon 810 | Snapdragon 808 |
| CPU | 4x 2.0GHz Cortex-A57 4x 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 |
4x 2.1GHz Cortex-A57 4x 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 |
4x 2.0GHz Cortex-A57 4x 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 |
4x 2.0GHz Cortex-A57 4x 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 |
2x 1.8GHz Cortex-A57 4x 1.4GHz Cortex-A53 |
| GPU | Adreno 430 | Mali-T760 MP8 | Adreno 430 | Adreno 430 | Adreno 418 |
| RAM | 4GB (64GB model), 3GB (16GB model) | 3GB | 3GB | 3GB | 3GB |
| Storage | 16/64GB | 32/64/128GB | 32GB | 32GB | 32GB |
| MicroSD | No | No | Yes, up to 128GB | Yes, up to 128GB | Yes, up to 128GB |
| Unlocked Price | $329 (16GB), $389 (64GB) | $700 | $650 | $650 | $540 |
Now let’s take a look at the OnePlus 2 specs again and this time, how it compares to other similarly priced handsets:
| OnePlus 2 | Huawei Honor 7 | Moto X Play | Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 | BLU Pure XL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.5-inch LTPS Full HD (1920 x 1080) 401 ppi |
5.2-inch IPS-NEO Full HD (1920×1080) 424 ppi |
5.5-inch IPS Full HD (1920×1080) 401 ppi |
5.5-inch IPS Full HD (1920×1080) 401 ppi |
6.0-inch AMOLED QHD (2560×1440) 490 ppi |
| SoC | Snapdragon 810 | Kirin 935 | Snapdragon 615 | Mediatek Helio X10 | Mediatek Helio X10 |
| CPU | 4×1.82GHz Cortex-A57 4×1.56GHz Cortex-A53 |
4×2.2GHz Cortex-A53 4×1.5GHz Cortex-A53 |
4×1.7GHz Cortex-A53 4×1.0GHz Cortex-A53 |
4×2.2GHz Cortex-A53 4×2.0GHz Cortex-A53 |
8×2.0GHz Cortex-A53 |
| GPU | Adreno 430 | Mali-T628 MP4 | Adreno 405 | PowerVR G6200 | PowerVR G6200 |
| RAM | 4GB (64GB) 3GB (16GB) |
3GB | 2GB | 3GB (32GB) 2GB (16GB) |
3GB |
| Storage | 16/64GB | 16/64GB | 16/32GB | 16/32GB | 64GB |
| MicroSD | No | Yes, up to 128GB | Yes, up to 128GB | Yes, up to 32GB (Chinese version) |
Yes, up to 64GB |
| Camera | 13MP rear 5MP front |
20MP rear 8MP front (+LED flash) |
21MP rear 5MP front |
13MP rear 5MP front |
24MP rear 8MP front |
| Video | 4K, 1080p, 720p slo-mo | 1080p, HDR | 1080p | 1080p | 4k, 1080p, HDR |
| Camera Features: | OIS Laser Autofocus |
OIS | Phase Detection AutoFocus Effective Stabilisation |
Phase Detection AutoFocus | OIS Laser Autofocus |
| NFC | No | No | Yes | TBC | Yes |
| Battery: | 3300mAh Non-removable |
3100mAh Non-removable |
3630mAh Non-removable |
3060mAh Removable |
3500mAh Removable |
| LTE | LTE Cat 4 (150/50) | LTE Cat 6 (300/50) | Yes (Cat TBC) | Yes (Cat TBC) | LTE Cat 4 (150/50) |
| Other Features: | Dual SIM Fingerprint Sensor USB Type-C |
Dual SIM Fingerprint Sensor Fast Charging |
Fast Charging | Fast Charging | Dual SIM Fingerprint Sensor USB Type-C |
| Unlocked Price | $329 (16GB) $389 (64GB) |
~$381 (16GB, £249) | ~$426 (16GB, £270) ~$487 (32GB, £319) |
$128/$144 (16GB) $160 (32GB) |
$349 |
As you can see, OnePlus ‘suddenly’ faces significant competition from more established players who have the distribution channels and partners to put their devices into more hands quicker than OnePlus can.
Coupled with this, OnePlus also failed in the launch of the OnePlus 2, which the company has publicly admitted; ahead of the handset’s launch, OnePlus said they would have 30 to 50 times the amount of inventory, yet they repeatedly missed dates for releasing invites and even after the handset’s “launch” on August 11th, customers with invites couldn’t buy the handset. The dreaded invite system, which worked so well for the company in its first handset, proved to be its downfall.
The OnePlus 2 also has another big issue; value for money. Last year, customers rushed to become part of OnePlus’ flock as the OnePlus One offered the same specs as handsets that were double (or more) the price. Ahead of the announcement, the rumours looked to be that the OnePlus 2 would do just this, with rumours suggesting that a Quad HD display, NFC, outstanding camera and much more would all make it onboard.
What actually transpired was that the OnePlus 2 failed to bring the Quad HD screen we expected – instead it has a 5.5-inch Full HD display that doesn’t stand out in anyway – and failed to have NFC, with the company suggesting they left it out as no-one uses NFC. There’s just one slight problem with the latter; mobile payments are growing to become a large part of the smartphone industry and the lack of NFC immediately rules out the OnePlus 2 from this key growth market.
Furthermore, OnePlus launched the OnePlus 2 by saying it was a “2016 Flagship Killer” and this is certainly a bold claim from the company. Let’s look at the OnePlus 2 specs again and when you’re reading through them, ask yourself one question: would a flagship handset in 2016 with these specs interest you or will the industry have moved on? I know what I think.
| Display | 5.5-inch LCD, Full HD |
| Processor | 1.8GHz Snapdragon 810 |
| RAM | 3 or 4 GB (depending on storage option) |
| Storage | 16 or 64GB storage |
| Networks | US GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/8 FDD-LTE: Bands: 1/2/4/5/7/8/12/17EU/India GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/5/8 FDD-LTE: Bands: 1/3/5/7/8/20 |
| Software | OxygenOS based on Android 5.1 |
| MicroSD | No |
| Dual-SIM | Yes |
| Wireless Charging | No |
| Fingerprint Scan | Yes |
| Camera | 13MP rear 5MP front |
| Battery | 3,300mAh |
| Dimensions | 151.8 x 74.9 x 9.85 mm, 175g |
The success of OnePlus last year was also largely down to the company being an unknown player with customers unaware of how the company would handle repairs, support and returns. Naturally, with the OnePlus One proving to be so appealing, these questions were put to the back of customer’s minds but a year later, customers had a lot more information and it wasn’t pleasant reading for OnePlus.
Simply put, the company doesn’t understand returns, repairs or support. Looking across the interwebs, there’s a lot of complaints about the company’s lack of action when it came to fixing issues and even when you want to return your handset.
Some of you may point towards these being false but I can say that they seem to be accurate; a friend of mine (Holly Brockwell) had a range of issues with her OnePlus One and when requested a repair, OnePlus asked her to provide video proof of each individual fault before they would even discuss the repair. To take it a step further, the company seems to have outsourced its entire customer service department with Holly receiving the following reply to an initial email about battery life concerns: “I’m sorry to hear about the problem with your XXX”.
While these were issues when dealing with the OnePlus One, it doesn’t seem that the company has improved this much in the year that’s passed. Looking at the OnePlus forums, there’s certainly a lot of people who feel the hype has died and, although I’ve not used one extensively (but have briefly), I do feel the same.
Yes, the OnePlus 2 is definitely a lovely phone and it has a lot of positives but from a marketing perspective, the handset fails in its bid to be a 2015 Flagship Killer, let alone a 2016 Flagship Killer as OnePlus is dubbing it.
What next? Is OnePlus done?
So what next for the Chinese company that has grown to be similar to marmite in that you love it or you don’t. Can it survive in a market where the big names are now encroaching into the same part of the market that OnePlus so successfully carved a niche in for itself?
In a word: maybe.
Being a startup, OnePlus has had to be different in its approach to ensure the long term survival of the company, but while the approach certainly worked with its first handset, the company misjudged exactly what its competition would do this year. There’s no denying that the company does understand customers and what they want from a smartphone but some decisions in the OnePlus 2 make no sense. NFC chipsets are certainly not expensive and the decision to leave it out of the OnePlus, coupled with the rest of the specs, suggests the company’s bottom line has come before the same fact that set it apart; flagship specs at a reduced price.
OnePlus 2 in video:
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Yes, the company can easily release another handset next year and it might pick up from the OnePlus One and prove to be a real flagship killer but doing so would only admit that the OnePlus 2 was a mistake.
What else can they do? Some suggestions include merging with another company – after all, OnePlus co-founder does want to intern at Samsung (read into that what you will), attempting to release another handset (but would it be successful?) or even being aggressive with pricing to really drive the cost of smartphones down.
All of these suggestions could theoretically work on paper but in truth, it does seem that OnePlus’ time is coming to an end. Had they launched the OnePlus One a year earlier and this year’s OnePlus 2 last year, it’s quite likely we’d have a completely different tale to tell but the fact is; in the past year, the big OEMs have launched heavily into the mid-range marketplace and rather than OnePlus offering flagship specs at a mid-range price, the company is now arguably just another mid-range player.
It will continue to sell a few phones but the glory days certainly seem to be over. After all, if companies such as BLU can offer a flagship phone with a Quad HD display and NFC at the same price as the OnePlus 2, there’s really no reason that OnePlus couldn’t have. Apart from its bottom line, that is.
What do you think, agree with my assessment or disagree completely? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Alleged set of OnePlus Mini specs surfaces
OnePlus, the famous “Flagship Killer” company released their second generation smartphone just this past summer. OnePlus may not be the best at not creating controversy through their awkward marketing campaigns, and they might annoy many through their invite system, but they do know how to make a killer smartphone at a great price. The OnePlus 2 comes loaded with high end specs like the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, 5.5″ HD LCD display, Lollipop, 3GB of RAM and 16GB of memory for the base model. Not bad for a device with a price tag of just $329.
OnePlus is planning on expanding its reach with another smartphone this year. Many point to the name the OnePlus Mini. More rumors come to light as time progresses and this time around an email surfaced, from an anonymous source according to gforgames.com, with almost all of the details of the device including the $250 dollar price tag.
According to the source the specs are as follows:
- MediaTek Helio X10 (MT6795T) SoC
- 2 GB of LPDDR3 RAM @933MHz operating in dual-channel
- 32 GB of eMMC 5.0 storage expandable via microSDXC
- 5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080
- 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3 or 4
- 13 MP Sony IMX258 primary sensor with a f/2.0 aperture, 4K @ 30fps video recording capabilities, and a Dual-Tone LED flash
- 5 MP front-facing wide-angle sensor with 1080p video recording capabilities
- 3,000-3,100 mAh non-removable Li-Po battery
- USB Type-C connector with Quick Charge 2.0 capabilities
- FM radio
- MT6630 wireless SoC
- Bluetooth 4.1
- IR Blaster
- 1.2W front-facing speaker
- NFC chip which will support Android Pay in conjunction with a back-fitted fingerprint sensor
- IP67 dust and waterproof certificate
- Launch date expected in November or December of 2015
If you read through the specs, this device comes with NFC built-in which many enthusiasts moaned over because they demand a “flagship killer” have every single feature under the sun. For the OnePlus 2 starting at $329, I just think people like to whine because they have nothing better to do. They could go buy a Galaxy S6 Edge for $649.99 and have NFC, but I am sure when it comes to putting their money where their mouth is, they’ll most like go with the OP2 when it comes down to it. Price wins over NFC.
For $250 this might turn out to be the real flagship killer of 2015 as phones in this price range don’t offer a ton of features like this OnePlus Mini. The days of people rushing to buy 800-900 dollar smartphones are generally over.
Buyers are getting smarter and wiser and are finding great alternatives to high-end devices like the Samsung Note 5 and Samsung Galaxy S6. Samsung phones simply do not justify the price especially when they fail to update their Android version after just six months of usage there by cutting the lifespan of that premium device to less than a year.
With devices that are well known like the Moto X which is selling direct to consumers as well as the Nexus line from Google, and especially phones like the OnePlus 2 and Mini there simply is no reason not to go with these devices. The OnePlus Mini may be the dark horse of 2015 and could shock the market. I just hope that OnePlus make this device much easier to get this time around and says farewell to invites before they even start.
The post Alleged set of OnePlus Mini specs surfaces appeared first on AndroidGuys.
A second coming: Is OnePlus about to launch a Mini?
Why settle for just One Two when you can also have a Mini One?
Earlier this year, rumors and not-so-subtle hints were suggesting China’s OnePlus will launch a pair of products in 2015. As of today, it has already released one Two, but not the second one. GforGames has – via a tipster who claims to have access to a prototype- published some interesting information about this mystery product, which many feel is meant to correct the “errors” of the this year’s first second One. The device will allegedly cost around $250 and hit virtual stores in either November or December.
Spec-wise, the Mini is said to come with a 5-inch FHD IPS display, a MediaTek Helio X10 (MT6795T) SoC, 2GB of dual-channel LPDDR3 RAM, 32GB of eMMC 5.0 on-board storage, a 13-megapixel Sony IMX258 (f/2.0) rear camera and 5-megapixel front facing wide-angle camera. The device will purportedly have a 3,000-3,100 mAh non-removable battery, USB Type C, Quick Charge 2.0 support, and a 1.2W front-facing speaker.
The OnePlus Mini will allegedly have its fingerprint sensor on the back.
Other details mentioned suggest the screen will be a 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3 or 4 affair and include both oleophobic and hydrophobic coating. There will be no dual-camera setup however the rear camera will be able to record 4K video at 30fps and have a Dual-Tone LED flash. Unlike its big brother, the OnePlus Mini will include NFC to make use of Android Pay along with a fingerprint sensor to be placed on the back of the device.
Apparently, the SoC’s kernel source code will be made available to the public to support the development of custom ROMs.
While the device is to be made of plastic, users will apparently be able to purchase additional colors or styles separately to change the look and design of their phone. This would match with comments Carl Pei made earlier this year that indicated the second offering would be less about specs and more about style.
Three’s company: will the OnePlus Mini (not pictured, obviously) be a crowd-pleaser?
No mention was made as to the OS version running on the device, or details about its physical appearance or even naming convention. A special point was made that the prototype this information is supposedly based on is now a few months old and thus – assuming it is legitimate – OnePlus may have modified or dropped some specs since then.
Until something official comes along, readers should be sure to treat these specs as nothing more than rumors. With that said, does this device have some major potential? Can it fix all the “wrongs” with the OnePlus 2? Leave us your comments below!
OnePlus starts selling its USB Type-C cable for just $5.49
OnePlus announced earlier this year that it would be selling its USB Type-C cable as a standalone product, but we haven’t seen it mentioned since. As of today, OnePlus has begun selling the cable at its online store in 100cm and 150cm variants.
The cable will set you back $5.49 or $6.99, respectively. The cable is actually quite impressive. The end that plugs into the OnePlus 2 is the USB-C end, and on the other end is USB-A, which plugs into the wall outlet or your computer. The neat thing about the USB-A end is that OnePlus managed to make it reversible as well.
And for now, it’s quite nice that OnePlus has it designed where one end is USB-C and the other USB-A. The cable that ships with Google’s Nexus 5X is simply USB-C to USB-C, which can be quite frustrating considering that USB-C isn’t very popular in wall outlets or computers just yet.
At least OnePlus’ cable is nowhere near as expensive as the OnePlus 2’s leather case. Anyone plan on picking up this cable from OnePlus?
source: OnePlus
Come comment on this article: OnePlus starts selling its USB Type-C cable for just $5.49
Galaxy Note 5 – OnePlus 2 – Moto X Pure International Giveaway!
Welcome to the Sunday Giveaway, the place where we giveaway a new Android phone or tablet each and every Sunday.
A big congratulations to last week’s winner of the Moto X Pure Giveaway: Aris R. from Greece.
This week’s giveaway is sponsored by nPerf and we are giving away 3 hot smartphones: (1) Galaxy Note 5, (1) OnePlus 2, (1) Moto X Pure!
More than a simple speed test, nPerf brings you the best and the fullest mobile connection quality measurement tool up to 1 Gb/s speeds!
- Full QoS test: In few seconds, test your bitrate speed, latency, browsing speed and video streaming quality on your mobile device.
- Comparison function: Compare your results with those of others users and for each provider with a real time barometer.
- Interactive map: Check network coverage and carriers performances in your area.
- Network monitor: Stay informed on data speed in real time on the top of your mobile screen (status bar). Reports your data plan usage (in notifications).
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How to earn tickets into the giveaway:
- Download nPerf from the Google Play Store [1 ticket]
- Tweet your full speed test (Use the function in the app) and add this hashtag : #nPerfgame [5 tickets]
- Follow @nperf on Twitter [1 ticket]
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- Share the giveaway with your friends [1 ticket – they must join giveaway to earn ticket]
Join Now!
Galaxy Note 5 – OnePlus 2 – Moto X Pure International Giveaway
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- The giveaway is an international giveaway (Except when we can not ship to your Country.)
- If we can not ship to your country, you will be compensated with an online gift card of equal MSRP value to the prize.
- We are not responsible for lost shipments.
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[Deal] Tronsmart USB Type-C car charger for $12 using promo code
Have a new phone that uses USB Type-C and can’t find a car charger that works with it? Get the Tronsmart 36W Dual Rapid Ports Car Charger with Quick Charge 2.0 for only $19.99, plus get an addition $8 off when you use promo code WLUTIB2W.
The charger should work with any USB Type-C device, but is confirmed to work with all the latest smartphones that use it from the OnePlus 2 to the new Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X. A few other devices that have USB Type-C connections and can use this are the Meizu Pro 5, ZUK Z1, Macbook 2015, LeTV One Max, and LeTV One Pro.
What’s really great about this is the additional USB port which can be used to plug in regular USB devices. It can detect whether your device charges normally or with Quick Charge 2.0 making it great to charge all devices.
The charger is originally priced at $39, but is on sale for only $19.99. Using the promo code WLUTIB2W takes another $8 off bringing the total to only $11.99.
[Amazon]
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Tronsmart USB Type-C car charger for $12 using promo code
[Rumour] 5-Inch OnePlus X to feature Snapdragon 801, launch in October
Some news regarding everyone’s favourite startup, OnePlus, is that it is apparently planning on announcing a new model called the OnePlus X. It could be unveiled during October, and appears to have some interesting hardware choices.
According to an unnamed source of GizmoChina’s, the OnePlus X will sport a Snapdragon 801 processor, like the original OnePlus One used. It will also have a 5-inch display, which should please people who aren’t fans of the 5.5-inch handsets that are all the rage at the moment. A fingerprint sensor is believed to be present on the rear of the device while dual cameras are also thought to feature.
Design-wise, the source said that OnePlus has moved on from the OnePlus 2 design, instead attempting to make the OnePlus X more beautiful. It’s unknown whether the render above, courtesy of GizmoChina, is indicative of the final design or not.
Finally, the OnePlus X is believed to be launched around the $249 price point, squarely aimed at the budget-conscious mid-range market. While there may be some eyebrows raised at OnePlus choosing to go with the venerable Snapdragon 801 processor, it has to be said that it’s a proven chipset, as well as being a cooler, cheaper alternative to the much maligned Snapdragon 810.
One question that has to be asked is – what is the point of launching a third handset when OnePlus can scarcely get the recently launched 2016 flagship-killer OnePlus 2 into customers hands?
Is it going to be a case of third-time-lucky for OnePlus? Will it get the launch of the OnePlus X right? Or will it follow the all-too-familiar path of a handset being launched, and then issuing apologies for delays a few weeks afterwards?
Only time will tell. In the meantime though, what do you think of the decision to use the Snapdragon 801 in the OnePlus X?
Source: GizmoChina
Come comment on this article: [Rumour] 5-Inch OnePlus X to feature Snapdragon 801, launch in October
OnePlus’ Carl Pei wants to intern at Samsung
OnePlus is a profoundly fascinating company to say the least. Despite last year’s stellar debut into the smartphone arena, the company ultimately drew more attention not for the OnePlus One hardware itself, but the inability to make it available. Rather than go with a more traditional method of purchase such as letting customers simply buy the product, an awkward invite system was employed along with misogynistic marketing stints. The end result was that outside of China – where the phone was freely available – interested customers had to wait to get arguably one of the best phones of 2014.
2015 saw no shortage of PR hubris, with the company’s follow-up, the OnePlus 2 being toted as a “2016 flagship killer” and essentially promising the world. Unfortunately the product has received a surprising backlash due to its lack of NFC, lack of Fast Charging, problematic camera software, buggy Oxygen OS, and – once again – availability. Whereas some companies have been known to blame the users for its problems, OnePlus’ public face and Co-Founder Carl Pei, is not only offering his sincere apologies, but even going as far as to ask Samsung for an internship.
“Here’s an idea”
On Mr. Pei’s personal blog, he writes that the company “learned a very important lesson with the launch of the OnePlus 2 by not getting units shipped out as soon as they should have been. Now, we are working harder than ever to get the OnePlus 2 in your hands. We’ve ramped up the invite rollout, and will soon hold a one-hour open sale for those of you looking to purchase the OnePlus 2 without any hassle.”
The sheer mention of a “one-hour open sale” may further irritate some readers, though bigger changes are seemingly in-store for the future as Mr. Pei adds that, “the real change will come as we adapt and progress our operations and logistics. We are a growing company facing high demand from around the world. It’s not easy to make a smartphone; it’s also not easy getting it from our factory into your hands as quickly as you deserve.”
Then, in a rather candid statement, he addresses the very issue of his company’s success itself: “There’s a lot of talk lately about how the ‘new guys’ (like OnePlus) are coming in to disrupt the ‘giants of the smartphone industry’ (like Samsung, who’ve had a few less than stellar quarters). We’ve seen a lot of speculation and analysis about if and how one player can dominate the market. Well, we fully agree that the industry is evolving, but we think there’s room for all of us to compete and learn from each other.”
Most surprising however, is the next bit:
So, Samsung, today I have a proposal for you: let me be your intern. Seriously. I would be honored to learn from your team about how you’ve been able to scale, run, and manage your business so successfully. In turn, I would be happy to share what we’ve learned about how to engage with our community and implement their feedback to deliver a better user experience.
Better yet, let’s do an intern swap. I would be honored to visit your headquarters, and, in turn, we would be happy to host one of your own executives here to show you how we work at OnePlus.
Mr. Pei then includes a link to his Twitter feed in hope that Samsung will indeed, reach out.
A shockingly sincere sentiment or just another PR spectacle?
Truth be told, the candid commentary that Carl Pei has offered the world is rather shocking, if only for the fact that he is not only acknowledging and accepting that there are major problems with his new product, but even going as far as to suggest his company’s organization is not where it should be. His words highlight the fact that, while the outside world sees companies like OnePlus – or perhaps even its domestic rival Xiaomi – as these mega successful startups, there might be some big issues going on behind the scenes that are the inevitable as a very small company is instantly propelled into a major manufacturing position. Especially true of OnePlus (and Xiaomi) is the extremely thin profit margin that goes into the sale of each product, a problem that companies like Samsung, LG, and of course Apple, have never had to deal with.
Still, it is difficult to make heads-or-tails of the sincerity of Mr. Pei’s offer to intern at Samsung. Given the theatrics that OnePlus itself likes to put on, it could very well be another PR spectacle designed to get people talking. Given his resume however, we are more convinced he is truly sincere:
As many have already pointed out, according to his LinkedIn profile (above) Carl Pei has worked at a total of 4 companies in the past 5 years. In fact, aside from his current job at OnePlus, he had essentially never spent more than one year in any position at his three previous companies.
While his resume clearly indicates a quick progression to the top of corporate ranking, it may indeed be the case that he requires more experience with the industry and with management itself to better serve his current company. The situation is arguably furthered by the listing of Mr. Pei’s BSc at the Stockholm School of Economics as “unfinished”.
The Samsung situation
2 of Hearts, two hearts that beat as…One?
While some may be willing to consider Mr. Pei’s internship proposition positively – especially as it appeared on his personal blog and not Twitter and not OnePlus one’s homepage – the question is if Samsung would ever entertain the possibility. While OnePlus could very well stand to benefit enormously from insight and wisdom at a 77-year old conglomerate like Samsung, there is a much more obscure understanding in just what the Korean OEM could gain from a start-up that is better known for its mishaps than anything else.
Samsung’s problem is, arguably, that it simply doesn’t want to enter a competitive price war with Chinese OEMs. Given the specs and build quality of some of its lower end hardware, the value proposition becomes one of the Samsung brand name and TouchWiz skin, and one of Samsung itself wanting to make a clear profit from hardware sales, however diminished they may be. Given how much has been written about OnePlus and its domestic rivals, the most obvious secrets of success – online-only sales and low price points – are not exactly mysteries that would require Carl Pei’s internship candidacy to solve. (At the same time, he may have other insight that could be quite valuable).
Samsung’s pursuit of profits is clearly not in-line with the more sell-at-cost structure of companies like OnePlus.
Perhaps the greatest barrier of all could be the actual threat that Pei’s proposed stint at Samsung could entail. It is a well known fact that corporations guard their secrets close and that defection is often a very public skeptical that is met with much criticism and analysis: just look at the sheer volume of content written about Stephen Elop. If Samsung were to let a clear rival in on its inner doings, it might very well end up building the very harbinger of its own eventual demise. Or it could work out beautifully.
Wrap Up
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While the ultimate success of OnePlus – the company – is an outstanding offering of the new corporate China that is quickly winning its way into the world consumer’s hearts and minds, today’s piece suggests that the path to progress is not without setbacks and disappointments.
Despite the negative press and consumer reaction to the OnePlus Two, we still found it to be a very good piece of kit. While Carl Pei and his company may be receiving a lot of flak at the moment, there is no question that the OPO’s successor is still a worthy consideration as your new smartphone. The real one, it seems, is just what will come of this rather unprecedented offer?
We would love to hear your comments! Do you feel OnePlus truly deep-sixed the Two? Has the phone gotten a bad rap due to the internet’s tendency to hate on success or was it a legitimate disappointment? And what about Carl Pei’s offer to intern at Samsung?
AIVAnet 