OnePlus launched with a tagline that became its identity: “Never Settle.” Co-founded by Pete Lau and Carl Pei in 2013, the company sold its first phone through an invite-only system that generated massive hype. The OnePlus One offered flagship specifications at half the price of a Samsung Galaxy or iPhone, and the internet lost its mind.
The invite system was genius marketing. Scarcity created demand, word-of-mouth replaced advertising budgets, and the enthusiast community felt like insiders. Forums buzzed with invite threads, and each phone launch became an event. OnePlus sold over one million OnePlus One units in its first year — remarkable for a brand with zero retail presence.
Over the years, OnePlus gradually crept upmarket. Prices rose from $299 to $799+ for flagship models, eroding the value proposition that built the fan base. The merger with Oppo (both owned by BBK Electronics) became more visible, with shared components and closer software integration. OxygenOS, once beloved for its clean near-stock Android experience, absorbed elements from Oppo’s ColorOS.
Despite the identity shift, OnePlus still delivers compelling hardware. Their charging technology is genuinely best-in-class — the 100W SUPERVOOC charging fills a battery in about 25 minutes. Camera partnerships with Hasselblad improved photography credibility. OnePlus sells millions of phones annually, particularly strong in India where they hold significant premium smartphone market share. The brand’s evolved from scrappy disruptor to established player, for better or worse.
