A Small Smartphone Startup Is Going Guerilla to Get Some Big-Time Attention
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A former executive from a top Chinese smartphone maker and a leading Android hacker from the U.S. have joined forces. Their mission — to make the best smartphone the world has ever seen — is encapsulated in the motto scrawled graffiti-style across their : Never Settle.
OnePlus is a startup that’s making some waves among the smartphone cognoscenti ahead of their first product reveal this week. They’ve promised a top tier phone, the OnePlus One, for less than $400. That’s less than two thirds what the likes of Apple, HTC and Samsung charge for their flagship phones.
Thanks to their industry insider credentials and shrewd use of social media, ex-Oppo vice president Pete Lau’s new brand is building some buzz. OnePlus’ aggressive, guerilla-style marketing campaign has included a with company reps, and a with early access to the One as prizes.
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Lau has partnered with Cyanogen Inc. — makers of the popular Android alternative CyanogenMod operating system — on a custom Android-based OS for his phone. Cyanogen founder Steve Kondik recently left a job at Samsung to start his own company, and partnered with Oppo on a phone launch before teaming up with OnePlus.
The OnePlus One is set to be unveiled on April 23 but the company has already regarding the device. A slow, steady stream of information direct from the source has built anticipation among bloggers and a growing fan base that’s quite active on the company’s own forums.
To date, OnePlus has confirmed a handful of specs that match up well against current smartphone giants. One will feature a 5.5-inch HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 13MP Sony Exmor main camera, a 5MP front-facing camera and a large 3100 mAh battery. Despite that giant screen, the company says the phone will be the same size as a 5-inch phone thanks to clever design touches like narrow front bezels.
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HTC and Samsung’s top-shelf smartphones sport 5-inch and 5.1-inch screens, respectively.
OnePlus also says the One will support GSM and global LTE, meaning it will work on AT&T and T-Mobile (but not Verizon) in the U.S., and on many other carriers worldwide. One will also offer a few unique touches like swappable back panel “StyleSwap” covers, and the mysterious, ““
If nothing else, OnePlus knows how to tease the geeks into a frenzy.
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A former executive from a top Chinese smartphone maker and a leading Android hacker from the U.S. have joined forces. Their mission — to make the best smartphone the world has ever seen — is encapsulated in the motto scrawled graffiti-style across their : Never Settle.
OnePlus is a startup that’s making some waves among the smartphone cognoscenti ahead of their first product reveal this week. They’ve promised a top tier phone, the OnePlus One, for less than $400. That’s less than two thirds what the likes of Apple, HTC and Samsung charge for their flagship phones.
Thanks to their industry insider credentials and shrewd use of social media, ex-Oppo vice president Pete Lau’s new brand is building some buzz. OnePlus’ aggressive, guerilla-style marketing campaign has included a with company reps, and a with early access to the One as prizes.
