Category: OnePlus

Unquestionably, one of the most anticipated device launches of 2015 happens today.  At 10:00 PM EDT (7:00 PM PDT) the all new OnePlus 2 from OnePlus will be launched in a virtual reality event that will be streamed from Hong Kong.  The good news is even if you did not get your hands on the seemingly rare OnePlus VR cardboard glasses, you can still watch the event on your current Android phone with the OnePlus 2 Launch app in the Play Store.

Product launches tend to be the same. An auditorium, a keynote, and a seated audience. For the OnePlus 2 launch, we didn’t want a barrier between us and our community; we want to invite you into our world, because you’re a major part of it. That is why we will be unveiling the OnePlus 2 in a VR experience. Starting July 27 at 7:00pm PST, everyone around the world can stream our launch

Clearly OnePlus is wanting anyone and everyone to watch the event and considering it and the app are free, why not?

OnePlus 2 Launch for Android – Free – Download Now

We may only be a week and a bit away from seeing the all singing-and-dancing OnePlus 2 but there is still a great deal on the superbly spec’d OnePlus One.  Right now you can get yourself a OnePlus One with 64GB of storage for only $299.  Let’s put that in perspective peeps:  That was the price of the 16GB unit when they released.  It’s a deal.  Flat out and no further explanation needed.

The OnePlus One has been my daily phone for months now and I’ve commented many times, including in my review of it, that it may be the best smartphone I’ve ever used out of the hundreds I’ve reviewed over the years.  I rated it at a 4.9 out of 5 stars.  Performance meets outstanding specs meets an outstanding 5.5″ display running Android Lollipop.  There’s not much to hate on this phone.

One of the most anticipated Android phone releases of 2015 will be the OnePlus 2, the follow up to the highly successful OnePlus One from the Chinese manufacture OnePlus.  There have been a huge number of leaks, rumors and guesses as to what the OnePlus 2 will look like, it’s price, what it will have powering it and when it will actually be released. The challenge of course is separating the fiction from fact and, to their credit, OnePlus has been doing a pretty good job of confirming and denying these leaks and rumors as they have come out.

To help set things straight, I’ve put together a list of the things that we know for sure about the OnePlus 2.  These are all confirmed by OnePlus themselves.  I have purposely avoided rumor posts just to get visitors to my site and I stand firm in that.  What you won’t find in this post are supposed leaked images of the phone or other guesses.  It’s just facts.

That said, I have been clear in my opinion that the OnePlus 2 is critical to the long term success of OnePlus.  It has to be a success for the long term sustainability of the company.

I’ll start this post with both a confession and admission for the sake of full disclosure.  I’m a big fan of OnePlus.  I have been carrying the OnePlus One now as my primary phone for over a month and it is without question one of the best smartphones I have ever used or reviewed in my 15 years of writing such pieces.  The design works. The OS works.  The camera is awesome.  It is overall just a great device.  So I write this from a slight fanboy perspective but I also write it from a business professional.  My day job has me continually reviewing business plans, product roadmaps and talking to companies who what to have an alliance with mine.  It’s a full time job, trust me.

So it is with this dual vision that I write this post about the critical need by OnePlus of having their follow up device, the OnePlus 2, be a success.  The Chinese company can’t simply have a “similar success” nor can they have some of the distractions they had with the release of the OnePlus One – namely the much maligned invitation system. No, to be considered a top player in the Android phone space, the OnePlus 2 has to be a critical and public success with a capital BIG. It’s easier said that done and clearly the OnePlus team is very much focused on making sure their second release is does not suffer from a Sophomore Jinx.

There are three reasons in my view why the OnePlus 2 has to be a big winner for the company: Proving the success of the OnePlus One was not a “one-hit wonder”, long term financial viability of the company and third, to be considered a major and serious player in an already crowded Android market.  Can they pull it off?  If the OnePlus One is any indicator then the answer is a resounding yes.  But history does not always repeat – in fact, rarely does it.

Last week I posted that OnePlus, the Chinese manufacture who produces the OnePlus One, announced a sale at specific times all of last week.  Now the company has made those price drops permanent for everyone.  Starting today you can get the 16GB model of only $249 while the 64GB model is $299.  For the quality of the OnePlus One and the specifications, this is absolutely a steal and I personally cannot recommend this phone highly enough.  It has become my daily driver since my review of it and while I’m anxious to see what the anticipated OnePlus Two will offer, I’m quite pleased with the One and its performance.

I have been writing reviews of mobile devices and technology since 1999. In that time, I’ve reviewed well over 100 mobile devices of all shapes and forms, starting with the H/PCs of days gone by to the current crop of Windows Phone and Android devices. To say I don’t get excited about phones much any more is an understatement.

Then came along the OnePlus One. It’s a phone that has been out there for nearly a year now and while it had a fitful start in life (a somewhat botched invitation system to buy them), they are now readily available. Frankly, I’m not sure I’ve ever enjoyed a phone as much as I have enjoyed this… One.  Spec wise it is top-notch with a powerful processor, huge amounts of RAM and on-board storage, an all day power user battery, a stunningly good camera (front and back) and a display that is easy on the eyes. It has everything that you would expect in a flagship device from any manufacture but at a budget friendly mid-market price of $299 for the 16GB model.  Beyond the specifications however, the OnePlus One is a joy to use.  It has a solid Android Lollipop build with powerful features and functionality built in that allows you as a user to customize it the way that works best for you.

The OnePlus One is without a doubt one of the best phones I’ve ever reviewed.  It is not perfect but it is close.  Real close.