One Plus 2 Release Date, Specs Review: 'Best Value' Features Cited
OnePlus 2 – an inexpensive smartphone but one considered as offering the best value for money – will be released in the second or third quarter of 2015. This was confirmed in a recent OnePlus One Reddit AMA post.
A recent iDigitalTimes report said the OnePlus 2 may possibly come in a relatively smaller size than its predecessor, the OnePlus One, and be powered by Google's latest operating system, the Android L.
The OnePlus One is manufactured by a Chinese company in partnership with CyanogenMod, who develop custom ROMs for various Android devices.
People generally concede that any product coming from China is more often of low quality. But gizmo experts underscore that this is certainly not the case with the OnePlus One.
The phone is of premium quality, exhibiting a brilliant 5.5- inch display. It uses the LTPS LCD technology and features a full HD resolution of over 400 pixels per inch.
OnePlus One is one of the rare phones that don't use plastic or aluminum in their casing. Instead, the phone's exterior is enclosed in magnesium, giving it an elegant look and feel. Buttons are removed from its front display to enable users to take full advantage of its 5.5- inch screen display.
Like many other Android phones, the OnePlus One offers different variations in terms of storage. The base version of the OnePlus One has 16 GB of storage, but other versions can go up to 64 GB of internal storage. However, the phone does not offer external memory card slots.
The OnePlus One offers more connectivity options -- from the basic Wi-Fi options to Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, DLNA, USB on the go, and USB Host. It also features the latest 4.1 version of the Bluetooth.
To reduce the product cost, some phone manufacturers tend to use low-quality processors. But is not the case with the OnePlus One. The phone features the latest snapdragon 801 processor, which is found in many other high-end devices like the Galaxy S5 and Xperia Z2. Its quad core processor clocks at 2.5 GHz -- more than sufficient to run the Android OS in the latest KitKat version. It is also supported by 3 GB of RAM memory.
The OnePlus One camera has a decent 13-MP rear sensor and dual LED flash. However, it lacks Optical image stabilization. To compensate, the CyanogenMod can capture images up to 4128×3096 pixels and record videos at 4K.
The front facing camera of OnePlus One, set at 5MP, is designed for selfie lovers. In constrast, the more expensive iPhone 6 Plus has only 1.2-MP front facing camera
OnePlus One can handle 14 hours of usage. The device features a 3100 mAh battery which, if not overused, can last a whole day.
For its premium features, the OnePlus One is priced at only $400. In contrast, the price for the iPhone 6 Plus is set at $749.
Sources said one of the reasons why the One is cheaper than the standard Android phone is that it's being sold with virtually no profit margin. They said the phone's price tag is close to the actual cost of its production.
Although the OnePlus One was launched to rave reviews, some users complained of its yellowish displays and undelivered software features. However, those issues have since been cleared up.
After confirming the OnePlus 2 release date, the company also revealed that they have already developed a new "high spec in-ear headphones."
The new headphones have been named Silver Bullet Earphones and are available for just $15 from Sept. 29 in all the 16 launch countries.
In a blog post, OnePlus stated, "We have meticulously engineered the Silver Bullet to deliver powerful and immersive sound while ensuring a compact yet durable feel. The brushed aluminum casing perfectly complements the rugged texture of the One's Sandstone Black cover. Best of all, now you are in control of your music, camera, and voice calls without ever having to reach for your One."