The reality of OnePlus

[Aniallation]

Everybody's excitement seems to be dying down about the OnePlus One. Is anybody here still waiting to get an invite?

 

In reality, it's just not happening. There are barely any invites compared to the amount of people waiting, and in general the system is really dumb. You need to be invited to spend money? Most people that I know as well as on the internet have just given up on waiting and bought Nexus 5's or LG G3's instead. There's still so much of a want for these things (or lack of production thereof) that Chinese companies are making clones of them and selling them for more then the actual One's. 

 

In fact, even the marketing team at OnePlus has to buy the Chinese clones to even advertise their products. Even they can't get their hands on a OnePlus One. In recent pics such as this one that they use to advertise the One on Facebook and Google+, it's obviously a fake OnePlus One. No Cyanogen logo, Chinese fine print, and CCC logo that doesn't exist on real OnePlus One. 

 

 

I'm just starting to see it as a scheme for the company. They are a new company that didn't have much of a name, but got their name out there by having this super-spec'd phone at such a low price. As a result, they were swarmed with demand that they can't meet due to them being a just-started company and the "invite system" that they developed to try and control it is just leaving a bad look on the company. OnePlus is merely using the One to advertise their company and get their name out there. When they're done and they're a notable company, I highly doubt that the second phone they release is going to be anywhere near as cheap as the One was.

[TheEpicCanadian]

I'm still waiting and I will keep waiting because I don't really want anything else

[Sauron]

To be honest even if this particular product fails it has shown that it's possible to prouce a super high end phone for less that half the price the "fancy" brands ask for. The nexus 5 also came close to that, but didn't QUITE have all the exact bells and whistles of an s5 so some people still argued in favour of samsung, but now the game is over. When the next nexus (or google silver or whatever) phone comes out I'm almost sure it will follow the example of the 1+1 but without the availability issues and with full on stock android google support.

 

By the way why did you post this twice?

[Aniallation]

To be honest even if this particular product fails it has shown that it's possible to prouce a super high end phone for less that half the price the "fancy" brands ask for. The nexus 5 also came close to that, but didn't QUITE have all the exact bells and whistles of an s5 so some people still argued in favour of samsung, but now the game is over. When the next nexus (or google silver or whatever) phone comes out I'm almost sure it will follow the example of the 1+1 but without the availability issues and with full on stock android google support.

 

By the way why did you post this twice?

 

Well that's kind of the issue I'm going at. They didn't really manage to "produce" a super high end phone for the price they advertised. Hence the issues they're having with not only production, but their audience right now.

 

The topic was supposed to be moved but it didn't happen as well as I expected it to. It's solved now.

[Sauron]

Well that's kind of the issue I'm going at. They didn't really manage to "produce" a super high end phone for the price they advertised. Hence the issues they're having with not only production, but their audience right now.

 

The topic was supposed to be moved but it didn't happen as well as I expected it to. It's solved now.

 

If they made even just ONE which could be sold at that price, Google & partners can massproduce it for sure.

[piplupgao]

Invite me plz

 

Edit: Wrong Forum

[Greggers]

Of course it's possible to produce it, Google have been doing it for years with the Nexus line. The One Plus is only a bit better than the Nexus 5 and at this rate it'll be released fully a year after launch so it'll be in line with the Nexus release cycle. The thing I have issue with in these cheaper phones is the factory workers who assemble them. I'm sure Google could release that modular smart phone now on a limited market but why bother build up hype for something that will die out and have to be rebuilt come full launch?

 

You have to wonder what corners got cut to bring the device to market at such a low price, the Nexus 5 was build quality in my opinion. My first one had a broken display upon arriving and the 2nd one I have now has a dodgy vibration motor. The build quality of the one plus hasn't been seen on a mass market scale yet but if it's good you have to wonder how much the workers are getting paid. For this reason I'll probably stick with my Nexus for a few years.

[Aniallation]

Of course it's possible to produce it, Google have been doing it for years with the Nexus line. The One Plus is only a bit better than the Nexus 5 and at this rate it'll be released fully a year after launch so it'll be in line with the Nexus release cycle. The thing I have issue with in these cheaper phones is the factory workers who assemble them. I'm sure Google could release that modular smart phone now on a limited market but why bother build up hype for something that will die out and have to be rebuilt come full launch?

 

You have to wonder what corners got cut to bring the device to market at such a low price, the Nexus 5 was build quality in my opinion. My first one had a broken display upon arriving and the 2nd one I have now has a dodgy vibration motor. The build quality of the one plus hasn't been seen on a mass market scale yet but if it's good you have to wonder how much the workers are getting paid. For this reason I'll probably stick with my Nexus for a few years.

 

I see where you're coming from. I ordered three Nexus 5's on launch day and when they arrived there wasn't any problems with them. Google is producing these phones cheap, but not at cost like OnePlus is. They are making profit from it, just obviously not as much as other companies like Samsung or HTC are with their phones. And this is when Google is a well known, well funded company. With OnePlus, they are a starting company with not a lot of money, but they are putting out a phone with huge demand and selling them at cost, which is why if you think about it it's not gonna happen. They need to make some money to put into their company and selling their first phone to the general public at cost isn't very reasonable, hence which is why I think that it's either going to take a long time for public release, or a higher cost public release.

[dizmo]

Totally agree with you. The company has had a horrible track record quite far frankly. They promised a 5.5" screen in a 5" body. This is by no means that. The thing is huge. Bigger than the Note 3. LG did it right with the G3, and showed OnePlus what it should have done. This is basically just a slightly redesigned Oppo Find 7. Which makes sense since they're made in the same factory.

As for them using the fake phone, I don't think it's a fake. They have released their phone in China as well, where you can buy it without an invite as they're releasing them in limited batches. The CCC is Chinas version of the FCC, and as for the Chinese characters, well. That's rather obvious.

You can readily buy the OnePlus from China, however it runs on Oppo's ColorOS. Surprise.

I believe they're trying to limit the people who can buy them to increase their desire. Which is pretty stupid. They claimed that the invite system is better than preorders. It's not. By any stretch of the imagination.
With preorders you know exactly how many phones you have to produce. Then you can build a small amount more to see how the market does. That's why this marketing practice still exists.

There were a fair number of issues with the phones they did manage to get to people, and they were packed really poorly. They could have sprung the $1.50 for a nice custom wooden box for those 100 people who won them but they didn't. Bubble wrapped, poorly applied screen protectors, no chargers. Really? If they can't send 100 phones out properly, how are they going to do tens of thousands and beyond?

There's also their business strategy, or lack thereof. No profit on the device. Not sure how they plan to advance.

 

 

 

To be honest even if this particular product fails it has shown that it's possible to prouce a super high end phone for less that half the price the "fancy" brands ask for. The nexus 5 also came close to that, but didn't QUITE have all the exact bells and whistles of an s5 so some people still argued in favour of samsung, but now the game is over. When the next nexus (or google silver or whatever) phone comes out I'm almost sure it will follow the example of the 1+1 but without the availability issues and with full on stock android google support.

 

By the way why did you post this twice?

 

Of course it's possible to produce it, Google have been doing it for years with the Nexus line. The One Plus is only a bit better than the Nexus 5 and at this rate it'll be released fully a year after launch so it'll be in line with the Nexus release cycle. The thing I have issue with in these cheaper phones is the factory workers who assemble them. I'm sure Google could release that modular smart phone now on a limited market but why bother build up hype for something that will die out and have to be rebuilt come full launch?

 

You have to wonder what corners got cut to bring the device to market at such a low price, the Nexus 5 was build quality in my opinion. My first one had a broken display upon arriving and the 2nd one I have now has a dodgy vibration motor. The build quality of the one plus hasn't been seen on a mass market scale yet but if it's good you have to wonder how much the workers are getting paid. For this reason I'll probably stick with my Nexus for a few years.

They're made by Oppo, which has their own factories and I believe very high worker standards. Not as high as the US wage perhaps, but cost of living is also much lower. That's not something I'd really worry about.

 

I see where you're coming from. I ordered three Nexus 5's on launch day and when they arrived there wasn't any problems with them. Google is producing these phones cheap, but not at cost like OnePlus is. They are making profit from it, just obviously not as much as other companies like Samsung or HTC are with their phones. And this is when Google is a well known, well funded company. With OnePlus, they are a starting company with not a lot of money, but they are putting out a phone with huge demand and selling them at cost, which is why if you think about it it's not gonna happen. They need to make some money to put into their company and selling their first phone to the general public at cost isn't very reasonable, hence which is why I think that it's either going to take a long time for public release, or a higher cost public release.

Something you guys have to remember when you're talking about Google and the Nexus line of devices, is that Google subsidizes them. They're giving money to LG, per device, to sell it at a lower price.

If they were actually sold at the $350 mark without subsidization, LG would lose money. The big companies have so much more that they need to pay for, then the hardware itself.

The guy who started OnePlus is the son of the person who owns the parent company of Oppo and a few other brands. Special treatment goes a long way to helping with cost.

[Sauron]

If they were actually sold at the $350 mark without subsidization, LG would lose money. The big companies have so much more that they need to pay for, then the hardware itself.

 

I remember reading somewhere that samsung pays their top end phones about 180$ each, the rest is profit ^^ I know there's more they have to pay for, but still, lol.

[dizmo]

I remember reading somewhere that samsung pays their top end phones about 180$ each, the rest is profit ^^ I know there's more they have to pay for, but still, lol.

The BOM of the S5 is somewhere around $250. That's just the materials alone.

You also have packaging, shipping, marketing, certification, not to mention R&D and other expenses.

They make money, yes. But that's the entire purpose of a business.

[Aniallation]

 

As for them using the fake phone, I don't think it's a fake. They have released their phone in China as well, where you can buy it without an invite as they're releasing them in limited batches. The CCC is Chinas version of the FCC, and as for the Chinese characters, well. That's rather obvious.

You can readily buy the OnePlus from China, however it runs on Oppo's ColorOS. Surprise.

 

 

Actually OnePlus was on their Facebook page a week or so ago telling people to be careful of buying fake OnePlus One's online, and there were differences that OnePlus said themselves to be wary of, such as the missing Cyanogen logo. OnePlus says these devices are not under their support, so they won't be guaranteed warranty support, frequency bands, software updates, etc. from official OnePlus.

[LaoJr]

Their marketing scheme is really garbage I don't get why did this they over-hyped a product that hasn't come out yet and now there is way more demand than supply.

[Guest]

I'm still waiting and I will keep waiting because I don't really

want anything else

Sorry to say but by the time you could buy one a better phone will already be there, for less...

[TheEpicCanadian]

Sorry to say but by the time you could buy one a better phone will already be there, for less...

Then I'll get that phone....

 

I'm not locked into OnePlus, it's just my best bet for now. 

[Guest]

And yes, I kept repeating it, and people were like ' hey man, wait until June for invites to spread'.

End of June and we haven't seen 2 shits.

Garbage tactic, get a N5.