The much awaited smartphone that runs on Android operating system is slated to enter the Indian soil on December 2, as shared by various news sources. Indeed, this event marks the first time in Indian history when a smartphone manufacturing start-up such as OnePlus has tied out with a global e-commerce company such as Amazon (AMZN, Financial) to market its flagship brand, OnePlus One, in India. This flagship phone is not available for public purchase but is sold through an invitation system as a means of dealing with the problems of scaling. Letās take a break and try to get to the features of this smartphone and how OnePlusā management is hoping to launch it in India which it anticipates could become one of the largest markets for this intelligent and affordable device.
The launch program
As reported by IndianExpress.com, users in India would receive India-specific invites through OnePlus and Amazon.in. According to a press release from OnePlus, the two platforms have been integrated so that invites claimed into an OnePlus account will be used to purchase the device on Amazon.in. The company said that the exclusive online retail partnership with Amazon also extends to the OnePlus Oneās accessories currently available for purchase, which includes the Flip Cover, Bamboo StyleSwap Cover, and Silver Bullet earphones.
Besides this form of regular modus operandi through invitations accepted online, OnePlus is also setting up base in India through OnePlus India that will have a physical presence. In fact, this earmarks the first region in which localized infrastructure is being established by the Chinese parent company, thereby offering phone and walk-in support to users in India.
CEO, Pete Lau, stated, āOur company focuses first on our users and our product, we want to provide the best possible experience for our Indian users who have been so supportive of our vision. To do that, we are investing heavily in our Indian operations and partnering with the fastest growing and most admirable e-commerce company in the market, Amazon.in.ā
The impeccable features to drive sales in India
The OnePlus One runs CyanogenMod 11S or CM 11S, with the āSā signifying the customisation for the One smartphone. Notably, the software is based on Android 4.4 KitKat, while the company has already issued several OTA updates bringing bug fixes and new features in the interim, with the latest one developed this November taking it to CM 11S 44S.
In terms of display, the smartphone features a 5.5 inch IPS LCD display with a 1080x1920 pixel resolution, and the display boasts Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection which provides enhanced protection from shattered screens.
It comes with 3GB of RAM and is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 system on-chip on the device that supports 2G, 3G and 4G networks. In terms of storage, it offers two options ā 16GB and 64GB but unfortunately does not currently offer any expandable storage options.
The One sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with six lenses and f/2.0 aperture that boasts quick shutter speed of only 0.3 seconds according to company sources. It also flaunts a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
Pricing against rivals
As the OnePlus One runs on Andriod, it will meet competitors like Google (GOOG, Financial) offering their best smartphones from their production house at cheap prices in the low and mid-range smartphone market in India. As Indians are highly cost conscious mainly with respect to those buying in the mid-price range and wanting the best features available in that range, OnePlus will have to smartly price its device to get the maximum appeal.
According to news sources, the official pricing details are still under wrap, and company officials have not commented much on this aspect of the flagship phone being launched officially in India in early December.
Analysts opine that the company might just go for a really aggressive price point given that the competitors are really tough to handle in the mid-range in India.
Final word
Vice President and Country Manager of Amazon India Amit Agarwal said, āWe are very excited to bring this much awaited phone for our customers in India. And we are having real fun with the unique marketing initiatives for the launch. It fits right into our philosophy of bringing wide and unique selections and experiences for our customersā¦ā Thus, it might be contemplated that the OnePlus One will create a positive wave after its launch on December 2 in India as both Amazon India and OnePlus are optimistic on the final release in India. Letās stay tuned until the release on December 2 after which there would be newer dimensions to speak of in terms of pricing and the war against immediate competition. Presently, it does seem that OnePlus is aggressively pushing itself in all possible ways to enter the Indian sub-continent for improving the sales of its flagship brand, the OnePlus One.
