This time last year, the OnePlus One smartphone was the stuff of phone geeks’ dreams—an advanced smartphone powered by a modified version of Android called CyanogenMod. The device was a critical success and apparently so exclusive, the company wouldn’t just let anyone buy it. You had to request an invitation first, and wait lists were long.
Now the company has opened up One sales for broad availability—which is great news, if you don’t mind picking up a year-old device. If you do, then take heart: OnePlus has a new generation up its sleeve, coming soon.
The first OnePlus One offers a high-end smartphone for the unsubsidized base price of $299 for the 16GB model, and just a wee bit more for quadruple the storage, at 64GB for $349. To purchase this self-proclaimed “flagship killer,” just visit the website, no invitation necessary.
Or you could wait for the next-generation model, the OnePlus 2, which will hit the market in the third-quarter of this year as—you guessed it—an exclusive by invitation only. Apart from the new numeral naming convention, the company hasn’t disclosed details about this device, but judging by the top-shelf specifications in its last version, the hardware could be worth the wait.
See also: So Cyanogen’s Big Plan To Seize Android Is … To Jump In Bed With Microsoft
As for software, the company’s spat with Cyanogen lead OnePlus to create its own homegrown Android modification, OxygenOS. While One users can either stick with CyanogenMod or install OxygenOS, it’s not clear yet whether OnePlus 2 users will have the same choice. The new handset could eschew the Microsoft-backed Cyanogen software altogether.
Image courtesy of OnePlus
