Smartphone newcomer OnePlus has a new phone in the works,
which is being referred to as the OnePlus 2. First discussed in an Ask Me
Anything (AMA) Reddit session, the OnePlus 2 is likely to remain good value for
money while still offering high-end specifications.
The company has also hinted at the possibility of a wearable
device being released in the near future, and new reports are talking about a
OnePlus One Lite smartphone. We’ve put together everything we know so far about
OnePlus’ plans into this handy roundup post.
OnePlus announces virtual reality launch event for OnePlus 2
OnePlus certainly knows how to create a little buzz. The
company announced July 27 for the OnePlus 2 launch event, which normally isn’t
a big deal. However, OnePlus wants its fans to be right there front and center.
That doesn’t mean that you will get a free ticket to be there in person, but
you will get the next best thing — the entire event will be streamed in virtual
reality.
OnePlus’ Carl Pei said, “In our industry, product launches
tend to be the same. An auditorium, a keynote, and a seated audience. For the
OnePlus 2 launch, we didn’t want that barrier between us and you; we want to
invite you into our world, because you’re a major part of it.”
Witnessing the event in
VR means that you will be right there next to the OnePlus team, and you
will be able “check out the phone in a new way and maybe even find a few
hidden Easter eggs.”
OnePlus recently hosted a pair of contests giving two fans a chance to go to the event,
and it has been revealed that those fans will actually help present the event
in VR
.
You can’t view VR unless you have a special headset, and
OnePlus has created their own version of Google Cardboard. Just like Google
Cardboard, it will work with most Android phones, and you will be able to order
one soon. It’s not clear, but we are under the assumption that Google Cardboard
will work as well.
Be sure to mark your calendar for July 27 at 10:00 p.m. ET /
7:00 p.m. PT.
Earlier reports out of China indicated that OnePlus would
host a press event in July, and they were right.
In late May, OnePlus invited its fans to check out its upcoming June 1 event in a Google+ post.
The invite said, “We’re always looking for ways to shake up the tech
industry. And we think it’s time for a change. Find out more June 1.”
We expected OnePlus to announce the OnePlus 2 on June 1 based on the
above image, but what we got instead was a series of OnePlus One flash
sales from June 1 through June 7, in which the starting price dropped
to $250.
Earlier on, OnePlus held a special event on April 20 2015, but didn’t
reveal the OnePlus 2, or the OnePlus One Lite there either. Instead, the
invitation system to buy the OnePlus One was dropped entirely. However,
the company took the opportunity to inform us it would be back for the
OnePlus 2.
When OnePlus first confirmed the existence of the OnePlus 2, the company
stated that the 2 will launch between April and September of 2015.
Since then, OnePlus’ Carl Pei has continued to place the release date in
that large timeframe, without specifying an exact date. In early
December 2014, Pei told BGR India the handset will launch in either the
second quarter or the third quarter of 2015, reiterating the vague
window mentioned before. Now, we’ve finally got the official July 27
date.
One Plus 2 will feature a Type C USB port and the Snapdragon 810 v2.1 chip
OnePlus isn’t one to keep quiet about its upcoming devices. The
unorthodox smartphone maker revealed yet another spec of its
highly-anticipated OnePlus 2 on
Twitter in
late June. Apparently, the OnePlus 2 will sport a reversible Type C USB
port instead of the standard Micro USB port that most Android phones
have onboard.
In terms of processing
power, previous rumors pointed towards the OnePlus 2 rocking the
Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chip, and OnePlus has confirmed it. However,
there is one detail that is very important. The OnePlus 2 will be using
an updated 810 chip known as v2.1, which is important because the
previous version of the chip caused phones to overheat and slowdown.
Qualcomm’s issues were the main reason why Samsung decided to go with
its homegrown Exynos processor on the Galaxy S6 instead.
The
updated version of the 810 won’t overheat, according to OnePlus: “We
worked very closely with Qualcomm’s engineers to integrate an improved
version of the chipset (v2.1) in the OnePlus 2, and fine-tuned both
hardware and software,” the company said. “The 2 will be ‘cooler than
ever.'”
OnePlue 2 pricing rumored to be more competitive than previously thought
Reports out of China say
the OnePlus 3 will be priced at 2,000 Yuan ($322), which is slightly
more than the OnePlus One’s original launch price of $300. We are taking
this one with a grain of salt, since OnePlus CEO Pete Lau
posted on the social network Weibo that
2,500 Yaun or $400 would be a “reasonable” price for the phone. Of
course, there is a chance that Lau was aiming high in order to shock us
when the phone does get announced.
The main attraction of
the OnePlus One was its incredibly low price paired with high-end
hardware. The Chinese company priced its phone so low that it barely
made any profit off the sales. A source told Business Insider that
OnePlus will sell the 2 for much less than the standard $500-and-up
price tag of your average high-end smartphone. No specific number was
mentioned. Although the specifications have yet to be officially
announced, those familiar with OnePlus’ plans say the hardware on the
2 will be high-end and powerful.
Just how high-end will the specs be?
OnePlus CEO Pete Lau told followers on the
Weibo social network the OnePlus 2 will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, just like the LG G Flex2 and the HTC One M9. In late May,
a benchmark test was
discovered showing a phone called the OnePlus One A2001 running exactly
that chip. The octa-core processor was accompanied by 3GB of RAM, and
the device used Android 5.1 as its operating system. The test was dated
May 20. Prior to this, a rumor from reseller
Coolicool claimed the 2 would come with a Snapdragon 805, which seemed unlikely at the time.
Other specs revealed by Coolicool — so take them as you will — include a
a 5.5-inch screen with an unspecified pixel resolution, 32GB of
storage, a 3300mAh battery, as well as 16 and 5-megapixel cameras.
It pegged the OnePlus 2’s release for the third quarter of 2015, which
is in line with OnePlus’ own enigmatic predictions, and had put a
high $552 price estimate on the device.
Anonymous sources speaking to
GizChina.com in
January 2015 agree with the 5.5-inch screen size, and put the screen
resolution at 2560 x 1440 pixels. The Snapdragon 810 may be joined by
4GB of RAM — which will see it compete with Xiaomi’s Mi Note Pro — and
be powered by a 3300mAh battery. The January report suggested the price
would be 2700 yuan, or about $435.
Unique design will be customizable
OnePlus’ first smartphone wowed tech fans with its unique design and
original style. It seems that OnePlus is continuing on that path with
the 2, as a report from
Business Insider states
the company’s next handset will be even more customizable. The first
time around, OnePlus offered limited numbers of special StyleSwap backs
for the One, including the very popular and extremely elusive bamboo
back. Those who manage to get their hands on a OnePlus 2 will have even
more color and material options.
The OnePlus 2 may run OxygenOS
The first OnePlus smartphone runs CyanogenMod’s own custom ROM built
upon Android and many expected that it would appear on the OnePlus 2 as
well. However, following CEO Peter Lau’s admissions to a
Chinese publication regarding a home-grown custom ROM for the next phone, the company released OxygenOS.
OxygenOS is OnePlus’ own Android-based operating system, and was
released at the beginning of April. It can be installed on the OnePlus
One smartphone, and will most likely come pre-installed on the OnePlus
2.
What we learned from the AMA Reddit chat
The
AMA was hosted by OnePlus’ Carl Pei and David S. on
Reddit. The two answered questions on several topics, including
preorders, the limited supply of OnePlus One smartphones, and future
products. The company agreed that it underestimated demand for its first
smartphone, but added that it remains committed to its motto of “Never
Settle.” Initially, preorders for the OnePlus will only be open for a
limited amount of time, due to production limitations.
“Things definitely haven’t gone as planned,” Pei said. “Looking back, we
probably misjudged demand by 30x, and are scrambling to catch up. Our
team wasn’t built to handle this growth. We’re hiring like crazy, and
things should be under control in a few months.”
In the meantime, OnePlus said it’s focused on creating the OnePlus 2, so
that sufficient numbers of the device will be available ahead of the
projected 2015 launch. The company didn’t reveal much about the device’s
specs or price, but it did hint that the OnePlus 2 may be smaller than
the original.
“We’ve seen a lot of people asking for a smaller device, and want to let
everyone know that we hear you,” OnePlus said. “We’re thinking about
it.”
Unfortunately, OnePlus said that it will probably use the invite system
for its next smartphone too, before moving on to limited preorders
again. “It will probably be invite-only for a short period of time,
after which pre-orders are rolled out,” OnePlus wrote, much to the
chagrin of every fan who’s been slighted by the highly selective system.
What about the OnePlus One Lite?
According to an anonymous source speaking to DroidPile,
the OnePlus One Lite will be an improved version of the OnePlus One,
but not quite matching the specs of the OnePlus 2. This suggests the
OnePlus 2 may be more expensive than the OnePlus One, and the Lite may
be the company’s budget model for 2015. Expect another invite-only
system to be put in place for prospective buyers.
Is a OnePlus Watch in the works?
The company also addressed rumors that it’s working on a wearable
device. “Re:wearables,” OnePlus wrote in response to a fan’s question
about the new category. “Yes. Unsure if/when/how we’ll release it
though.”
Images of the OneWatch leaked earlier this summer, so it’s entirely
possible that OnePlus was just being coy. Either that, or the pictures
aren’t real.
Tags :one plus, one plus two, one plus two specs launch date rumours,
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