The OnePlus initiative, previously covered in Teleread, was a bid to create a smarter, better Android-based smartphone that has achieved some success and quite a few fans, with some commentators claiming that its debut OnePlus One model put Google’s own Nexus phones completely in the shade. Now, the company has upped the price of the OnePlus One in Europe, in response to the sliding value of the Euro, to a basic EUR299 ($320) for the smaller 16GB model. However, it’s also thrown this open for general purchase – previously the OnePlus One could only be bought by invitation. Furthermore, the company is teasing the long-awaited OnePlus 2 model – although this is also due to launch with invites:
Yes, the 2 will initially launch with invites. We’re committed to maintaining razor-thin margins in order to give as much value as possible back to our users, and this drastically increases our risk. The OnePlus 2 will bring the challenges that come along with a brand new product, and initially, our invite system will help us to manage that risk. It also helps us to be sure that every OnePlus 2 user gets the amazing experience that they deserve.
The company’s own version of the Android OS, OxygenOS, will stay on the new phone. Spec rumors and leaks about the OnePlus 2 are rife, but tend to confirm a 5.5 inch display device with a the Snapdragon 805 processor and a basic 32 GB of storage. Sounds well worth scrounging an invite for.
