This is shaping up to be an interesting entry in the Android ecosystem.
The OnePlus One smartphone aims to take down current flagship phones with cutting edge specs at a price point lower than Google’s Nexus. It took me a second to realize the name of the company was “One Plus” and the first phone is the “One”. We’ll have to see if HTC will weigh in on that branding…
“We are not a company looking to go global. We were born global, with employees hailing from all corners of the world.”
-OnePlus Mission Statement
The spec sheet is formidable for a $299 phone. A 5.5″ 1080p screen, protected by Gorilla Glass 3, will be powered by a Qualcomm 801 series chipset. The camera is a 13MP Sony sensor capable of 4K video recording. 16GB of built in storage (though there is no SD card slot), and 3GB of RAM for demanding services and games. A 3100mAh battery should provide almost two day run time. Triple microphone arrangement for stereo recording and noise reduction, and rear firing stereo speakers complete the hardware.
Jumping the price $50 will move you from 16GB of storage to 64GB. A welcome change in pricing as most manufacturers supply an extra 16GB with a $100 price increase.
The radios on board look like they’ll be fully compatible with AT&T’s network. Looking at the various bands included, you should see support for T-Mobile LTE, but it might not work well on their 3G network.
In all this looks like an ambitious device at any price. Moving this phone at roughly half the price of our current flagships certainly opens up some exciting potential.
One area the team might be saving some money is on software. The OnePlus One uses a build of CyanogenMod, a custom version of Android built by a team of developers off of the Android Open Source Project. It’s known for being an aggressively lean and fast flavor of Google’s OS. Since OnePlus isn’t developing their own custom build of Android, and it doesn’t seem that they’re applying skins or themes either, it’s one area the company has been able to pinch some pennies.
Starting April 25th, the first 100 OnePlus One phones will be available via a “Smash” promotion, where customers can secure a One for $1 if they smash their old phone. I find promos like that to be a bit crass, as I’d rather see people recycle, but you can be sure there will be a line of people ready to grab an inexpensive phone even cheaper.
You can see more of the OnePlus One in their teaser video, or scroll lower for the full PR.
OnePlus Launches “2014 Flagship Killer”, the OnePlus One
OnePlus One Features Snapdragon 801 Processor, 5.5” 1080p Display, 3100mAh battery from $299
April 23, 2014 – Following months of anticipation, OnePlus today revealed their flagship device, the OnePlus One. Embodying the OnePlus motto of ‘Never Settle’, the OnePlus One boasts industry leading design, superior build quality and top of the line specs at a disruptive price point.
“By paying attention to the smallest details, taking a holistic approach to product design, and working with the best partners such as Cyanogen Inc. and Qualcomm Technologies, we have been able to create the greatest day to day user experience in a smartphone without compromise,” said Pete Lau, CEO of OnePlus.
Steve Kondik, CTO of Cyanogen Inc. echoed Lau’s sentiments. “I am incredibly proud of the effort our team has put in to the CyanogenMod build for the OnePlus One. We’ve brought out the full potential of the hardware and complemented it with innovative new features to give users a fresh new experience and the tools to tailor the One to their personal style,” said Kondik. “We will continue to expand this effort to provide a genuinely enjoyable and powerful operating system for the user.”
Attention to the Smallest Details
The OnePlus One was designed to be beautiful, timeless and comfortable in the hand. Embracing this design language, the One features subtle curves, sleek lines and a slightly raised, jet-black display. Even the smallest details belong uniquely to OnePlus, from the custom cut and engineered PCB boards to the specially designed battery and dyed inner casing. Each component is meticulously aligned and adorned with a OnePlus logo for a gorgeous device inside and out. Measuring only 8.9mm thick, the OnePlus One is ergonomic and easy to grip, with a tapered edge of just 4.6mm.
CyanogenMod
Debuting with the One is CyanogenMod 11S, a special release tuned to take advantage of everything the One has to offer. CyanogenMod 11S reveals the first phase of a unique visual experience blending the best of Android with the freedom CyanogenMod is known for. Unlike most OEM skins, there are no limits to customizing your One – mix and match thousands of themes or return to stock with the new theme engine and store.
Advanced Camera and Gallery apps make capturing and viewing memories even more fun. Record your world in perfect detail with 4K video. Then relive it from the cloud in Gallery, organized by your life.
Championing privacy has been a core part of CyanogenMod’s purpose. SMS encryption between your One and CyanogenMod or TextSecure-compatible device means chats stay between friends. Privacy Guard keeps nosey apps at bay by helping you control how they use your data.
Fast, Smooth, Powerful
The OnePlus One is powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 processor with quad-core CPUs at speeds of up to 2.5GHz per core, making it the world’s current fastest available processor in a smartphone. Custom Krait CPU architecture, integrated 4G LTE connectivity, Qualcomm® Adreno™ 330 GPU and 3GB of LP-DDR3 RAM combine to offer a fluid and lightning quick user experience.
“Today’s premium mobile devices are measured by their ability to deliver immersive experiences through high-speed LTE connectivity and advanced multimedia, all without compromising performance or battery life,” said Raj Talluri, senior vice president of Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “We are proud to have our Snapdragon 801 processor powering the unique OnePlus One to deliver innovative new user experiences to consumers around the globe.”
A 3100 mAh battery and energy efficient display work together to power the OnePlus One for more than a full day of use.
Experience More, Capture More
The OnePlus One packs a 5.5” 1080p full HD JDI screen. LTPS and TOL (Touch On Lens) technology provide an incredibly sharp picture and make the gorgeous 178 degree vision display significantly more shatterproof.
A Sony Exmor IMX214 13 megapixel camera with f/2.0 aperture and dual LED flash delivers amazing shots day or night, made more precise and detailed by the 6 physical lenses. Even selfies are more beautiful with a 5 megapixel distortion free front-facing camera and extra wide 80 degree capture angle.
High Quality and Useful Features
The OnePlus One is more than just amazing hardware. Uniquely engineered software offers features that you really want and simplifies your user experience without adding extra, unnecessary bloat. Voice command lets you wake the device or you can launch your favorite apps by drawing pre-set gestures on the sleeping screen. Choose between on screen and capacitive navigation buttons to suit your preference.
Pricing and Availability
The OnePlus One will initially be available in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the United States in 16GB Silk White for $299/€269 and in 64GB Sandstone Black for $349/€299.
The first 100 OnePlus Ones will be available through the OnePlus Phone Smash, starting April 25th. OnePlus fans can go to oneplus.net/smash to apply to smash their current phone in exchange for a OnePlus One. 100 lucky applicants will get the very first 100 OnePlus Ones for just $1 as well as the ability to invite their friends to buy the OnePlus One.
OnePlus One Specifications
Basic Parameters
Color Silk White/Sandstone Black
Dimensions 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm
Weight 5.71 ounces (162g)
Operating System CyanogenMod 11S based on Android 4.4
CPU Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 processor with 2.5GHz Quad-core CPUs
GPU Adreno 330, 578MHz
RAM 3 GB LP-DDR3 @1866MHz
Storage 16/64 GB eMMC 5.0, available capacity varies
Sensors Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity and Ambient Light
Battery Capacity Embedded rechargeable 3100 mAh LiPo battery
Display
Size 5.5 inch JDI
Resolution 1080p Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 401 PPI
Type LTPS IPS with TOL
Protection Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Cameras
Sensor 13 Megapixel – Sony Exmor IMX 214
Lenses 6 lenses to avoid distortion and color aberration
Flash Dual-LED
Aperture f/2.0
Front Camera 5 Megapixel – Distortion free
Video 4K resolution video with stereo recording
Slow Motion: 720p video at 120fps
Connectivity
Frequencies GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz
WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/8
LTE: Bands: 1/3/4/7/17/38/40
Wi-Fi Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4G/5G) 802.11 b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.1
NFC 65T (software card emulation, payment methods and multi-tag support)
Positioning Internal GPS antenna + GLONASS
Digital Compass
Audio
Speakers Built-in Stereo Speakers
Microphones Tri-microphone with noise cancellation
Ports, Slots, Buttons and Indicators
Ports Data & Charging: Micro USB 2.0
Audio: Jack 3.5mm
Buttons Power Button
Volume Rockers
Capacitive / On-screen buttons
SIM 1 slot – Micro SIM
Indicators 1 LED notification light (multicolored)
Multimedia
Audio supported formats: Playback: MP3, AAC, AMR, OGG, M4A, MID, WMA, FLAC, APE, AAC, WAV
Recording: AAC, M4A
Video supported formats: Playback: MP4, H.263, H.264, RMBB, FLV720P
Recording: MP4
Image supported formats: Playback: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP
Output: JPEG, RAW
In the Box
1x OnePlus One
1x Wall Charger
1x USB Cable
About OnePlus
OnePlus is a global technology startup committed to creating beautiful devices with the best possible hardware to ultimately create a better day-to-day experience for users. Developed around the mantra, ‘Never Settle’, OnePlus aims to disrupt the industry by providing top of the line technology to users around the world. For more information, please visithttp://oneplus.net.