The OnePlus One smartphone was hailed as a 2014 flagship killer, with features to rival the , , , and other flagship Android devices, yet it costs less than half the price at a super-budget $299/€269/£229 (16GB model). It's still difficult to get hold of (see ), despite OnePlus recently confirming its successor, the . But the OnePlus One will be available to buy without an invite for a short period later today (20 January).
OnePlus One: Troubled beginnings
We waited for what felt like forever to get our hands on the OnePlus One, and since OnePlus doesn't supply review samples we were in the same boat as all the other hopefuls. When we finally got an invite to buy it, our OnePlus One got delayed by customs, and then we were made to pay import duty (see: ). But we got there in the end, and it is worth the wait. Read more about the possibility of a , a , and a phone.
At first OnePlus was allowing people to purchase the OnePlus One through invitation only, but confusion over how to get a OnePlus One invite has led OnePlus to re-assess the situation. Still wanting to keep a tight control on supply and demand, it is now developing a system through which you can pre-order the OnePlus One. The pre-order system was trialled for a very short period on 27 October, and again in late 2014. It will once again go on sale without you needing an invite for a two-hour window today (20 January) between 7pm and 9pm (UK time). Also see: .
OnePlus One: Getting an invite
OnePlus One is using competitions and promotional events to hand out invites to buy its OnePlus One. Previous competitions have included Smash the Past. In this competition, which ended on 2 May 2014, OnePlus asked OnePlus One smartphone hopefuls to apply to be one of the first 100 owners of the handset. The chosen ones had to smash their existing smartphone, film it, then stick it on . The winners were rewarded with an invite to purchase the OnePlus One for just $1, plus three invites for their friends.
"By paying attention to the smallest details, taking a holistic approach to product design, and working with the best partners such as Cyanogen and Qualcomm, we have been able to create the greatest day-to-day user experience in a smartphone without compromise," said Pete Lau, CEO of OnePlus.
OnePlus One: Pre-order system
OnePlus is working on a pre-order system for buying the OnePlus One, without needing an invite. It says you'll be able to cancel your order at any time up until the order is processed. This pre-order system was trialled back in October and again in late 2014. It will once again go on sale without you needing an invite for a two-hour window today (20 January) between 7pm and 9pm (UK time).
OnePlus One: Release date
Although the OnePlus One has now been officially released, it's still tricky to get hold of. It will once again go on sale without you needing an invite for a two-hour window today (20 January) between 7pm and 9pm (UK time). See
OnePlus One: Can I buy the OnePlus One from Oppomart?
Oppomart is indeed listing the 16GB Silk White OnePlus One as available for sale on its site. However, Oppomart is not affiliated with OnePlus, and the version it is offering customers runs Color OS, not CyanogenMod 11S. It claims all other features and specifications are the same.
OnePlus One: Price
The OnePlus One comes in 16GB Silk White and 64GB Sandstone Black varieties. The 16GB model costs $299/£229, while the 64GB OnePlus One is only slightly more expensive at $349/£269.
OnePlus One: Specs
The OnePlus One phone originally ran a modified version of Android KitKat known as CyanogenMod 11S, but has now been updated to Android Lollipop 5.0.2 via the CyanogenMod 12 Nightly ROM. You can install this on your OnePlus One using a custom recovery tool such as ClockworkMod (CWM) or TWRP.
CyanogenMod will instantly appeal to enthusiasts and tinkerers with its unlimited scope for customisation. It also features advanced Camera and Gallery apps, letting you make the most of the OnePlus One's 4k video-recording capability, plus improved privacy-protection features that include SMS encryption and PrivacyGuard.
And then there's the hardware: OnePlus' motto is 'Never settle', and it's easy to see why. The OnePlus One phone bests the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One, running a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with Adreno 330 graphics and 3GB of RAM. It also features a higher-capacity - if non-removable - 3100mAh battery (beaten only by the Sony Xperia Z2's 3200mAh), a larger 5.5in full-HD touchscreen, and a 13Mp Sony Exmor IMX214 13Mp camera with f/2.0 aperture and dual-LED flash. The front camera is primed for selfies at 5Mp, while video recording stretches to 4k with 120fps slow-motion available at 720p.
The OnePlus One phone, which weighs 162g and measures 152.9x75.9x8.9mm, supports dual-band Wi-Fi, including the very latest 802.11ac standard, Bluetooth 4, NFC, GPS and 4G LTE. There are built-in stereo speakers and a tri-microphone with noise cancellation.
We can look past the OnePlus One phone's lack of a memory card slot for storage expansion, given that the 64GB model was at the time of release around half the price of Apple's 64GB .
OnePlus claims its One smartphone boasts industry-leading design and superior build quality, with "subtle curves, sleek lines and a slightly raised jet-black display".
OnePlus Power Bank
The OnePlus Power Bank is yet to go on sale, but at $14.99 for a 10000mAh lithium-polymer cell that has a 2A (10W) input and twin 2A (10W) outputs, and weighs just 220g, it looks to be a fantastic deal that should charge your OnePlus three times on the move. Compare the OnePlus to the competition by checking out our .
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