Almost a month after its official launch in the UK on July 27, the OnePlus Two appears to have lost steam among interested smartphone users when initial review of experts indicate that the handset fell short of its own hype as a flagship killer.
Banking primarily on the success of the 2014’s most exciting Android phone, the OnePlus One, the OnePlus Two was rolled out with promises of an even better features and specifications than its predecessor.
The Chinese smartphone maker was not actually lying when it said that OnePlus Two will be a lot better than the OnePlus One because it is.
The problem comes from the fact that the flagship smartphones this year were way better than their counterparts last year. So when OnePlus One was launched last year with practically the same specifications, capabilities, and features as with several Android flagships last year, the smartphone simply pulled the rug from under them especially with its jaw-dropping price point.
OnePlus One was a 2014 flagship killer alright because it made the flagship smartphones last year really look expensive when it can actually be offered at a better price point, which the Chinese smartphone maker did.
Not a flagship killer this time
Those who have had the privilege of being able to purchase the OnePlus Two already via the company’s invite system were actually the ones who turned in their initial reviews of the smartphone, which the Chinese smartphone maker positioned as a 2015 flagship killer.
The OnePlus Two is a great phone alright and it is certainly a lot better than the OnePlus One, but it is no flagship killer, notes Wired.
According to the outlet, the OnePlus Two looks great indeed but it simply comes out boring because the Chinese smartphone maker decided to make the most inoffensive device possible so as not to turn off any potential customer.
The smartphone has a few nice design touches including the physical mute button that lets users quickly shut down the phone when he is in a meeting or when he is about to go to bed and sleep. The black textured back, that is swappable, also feels good for gripping.
The OnePlus Two is a wonderfully exciting reminder of the possibility of building a fast, sturdy, and functional smartphone that would not take so much dent on one’s pocket. But there is very little that is special or memorable about the phone. From its software to its camera and to the device itself, it does not befit the moniker of being a flagship killer.
But again, much of it actually comes with the fact that this year’s flagship smartphones are really way off the charts like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, or the HTC One M9, and several others, so the OnePlus Two is up against something that the OnePlus One never had last year.
Lightning would not strike twice
The Android Pit believes that lightning would not strike twice for OnePlus with its OnePlus Two. The reason why there are now about four million interested buyers on queue to the Chinese smartphone maker’s invite system to be able to purchase its latest flagship smartphone is because they are merely banking on the history of success of the OnePlus One last year as well as the very competitive price point of $329 to $389.
Overall, weighing the pros and cons of the OnePlus Two, the positives still outweigh the negatives. Apart from its affordability, the phone is obviously built to quality and with good design to boot. It also has a reliable fingerprint scanner and a decent screen and performance too.