Of all mobile phone markets, the Android one has been the most saturated, with many different companies offering great solutions in all price ranges. And while most people were convinced that there’s no more room for any new entries – and yet, when the OnePlus One was announced, it immediately made the headlines, with a lot of people receiving the new phone very positively.
It seems that the hype has continued after the device’s release as well, as it’s been enjoying a lot of success on the markets where it’s available. One of the more unusual aspects of the phone has been the marketing strategy of the company. Apparently inspired by the way Google have been rolling out their new services, the OnePlus One was being sold on an “Invite-only” basis, and people were frantically trying to get their hands on an invitation. The unusual marketing style was partially inspired by the company’s low budget – according to them, all they had for advertisement was $300.
This has created a peculiar situation in the market – while a smartphone usually sees the peak of its popularity in the first month after its release, the exact opposite happened with the OnePlus One. Interest in the device has been on the rise, with more and more people actively discussing it on messaging boards.
The device owes its popularity in part to its fantastic hardware, running on a Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.45 GHz, and offering 3 GB of RAM and a dedicated graphics processor. All of this is available for just $349, which beats many competitors’ offers on the Android by a significant margin.
Meanwhile, some users have been worrying about their eligibility for warranty and after-sales service in India. However, according to an announcement by the company on their website, Indian buyers will be eligible for service on their phones through authorized retailers. It will not be necessary to send the device across the ocean just to get its screen replaced or something similar, and the company behind the phone seems to be putting a lot of effort into establishing their own local presence in markets where they’re selling the phone, in order to give customers the full service they would expect.
The Indian release of the phone is still some time away, and it’s not known exactly when the phone will hit the market, although the company has been reassuring interested buyers that they’re doing everything possible to get the device out as soon as possible. This could very well be the next big thing in the Android market, and a lot of people have their eyes on the OnePlus One with keen interest.