OnePlus is inching closer to its formal entry in the Indian smartphone market. While OnePlus has already confirmed its India entry, the company has posted a job opening for a General Manager for its India operations.
OnePlus says on the job opening page: “We’ve seen tremendous interest from India in the OnePlus One, but to enter the market we’ll need the help of a local visionary. You will be the sun, the light that leads OnePlus into the Indian market; the center of orbit for all projects, operations, and service; the ambassador that spreads the OnePlus brand across India like a wildfire.”
“Personality counts as much as experience here. We’re looking for a leader that knows the market, sees issues before they arise, and coordinates resourceful and seamless solutions. The right candidate will successfully incorporate their local knowledge, global experience, and natural talent into building OnePlus operations and brand awareness in India. This position requires authority, leadership, and resolve when things get rough. We need you to weather the storm with us. Are you confident in your abilities and naturally inclined to make things work better around you?”
The move clearly indicates OnePlus is pretty serious about the Indian smartphone market, which has traditionally been a price-sensitive market. However, the likes of Motorola and Xiaomi have had serious impact on the Indian market, which now sees a new type of competition where smartphone makers are focussing on premium specifications while keeping the prices relatively low. Also, there's a new trend of flash sales and exclusive tie ups. OnePlus apparently thinks it's right time to tap the Indian market.
OnePlus is set to launch the OnePlus One smartphone – also touted as the 2014 flagship killer. The smartphone features a 5.5-inch display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution and 401 ppi pixel density. It runs a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor along with 3GB of RAM.
The OnePlus One has a 13MP rear camera with IMX214 sensor and f/2.0 aperture. There's a 5MP front facing camera. The smartphone is available in 16GB and 64GB memory variants – priced at $249 and $349 respectively. The smartphone UI is based on the latest Android 4.4 KitKat, though it offers a customised version of CyanogenMod ROM called CM 11S.
OnePlus has followed an invitation-only model, which has been quite successful. So far, it's not know what model will be adopted for the Indian market. Will there be an exclusive tie up? How soon the smartphone will be launched? We hope all questions are addressed by OnePlus pretty soon. Nevertheless, it's always great to have more competition in the market as it ultimately benefits end users.