OnePlus One specs roundup: What we know so far

BY Valerie Richardson

Published 10 Mar 2014

OnePlus One

The OnePlus One smartphone is set for an unveiling soon, but the manufacturer is yet to make things public about the device. However, thanks to tidbits of information available directly from the manufacturer and mostly from the CEO Pete Lau, we have been able to decipher some secrets of the handset. So here’s a rundown of what we know about the OnePlus One so far.

Design

The company has clarified that the smartphone will feature an aluminum unibody design, to stay in line with the recent trend. This also means that the battery on the back will be non-removable, which the CEO claims was crucial to the design and form factor of the handset. So it’s evident the handset will pack a slender and thin design.

Hardware

The hardware of the OnePlus One is still a mystery quite frankly, but the company has been kind enough to provide some details on that as well. At a recently concluded Reddit AMA session held by the company, it was disclosed that the smartphone will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC. And more recently, we heard that it will come with a 3,100 mAh battery as well. This, along with a 1080p display (of unknown dimensions) certainly sounds interesting. The manufacturer has clarified the availability of LTE as well, which is another bonus.

Software

It is well known that the One will carry a customized version of Android with help from the CyanogenMod team. It has been confirmed that this new CM build will also boost battery life greatly, so the non-removable battery shouldn’t be a major concern for potential buyers. While the company hasn’t clarified what version of Android it will run, it’s safe to assume that it will be featuring Android 4.4 KitKat.

Pricing

It was initially claimed that the handset will cost under $500, but the CEO later made it clear that the actual cost could go below $400. Ultimately, it seems like the OnePlus One will not go heavy on your wallets, which is reassuring for hopeful fans.