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OnePlus inadvertently left a backdoor on its phones (updated)
OnePlus' security troubles aren't over yet. Users have discovered that many of the company's phones from the past few years (including the OnePlus 5) include a Qualcomm testing app, EngineerMode, that lets you get root-level access to the phone without having to unlock its bootloader. An attacker would likely need physical access to your phone to do any damage, but that still means they could insert trackers or otherwise compromise your phone with very little effort.
OnePlus starts selling phones via Amazon UK
If you've been eyeing up a OnePlus phone, there's now another place you can order one in the UK. The company is selling the OnePlus 2 on Amazon UK for £249 -- the same, recently reduced price found on its own website. A spokesperson for OnePlus has also confirmed to Engadget that both the OnePlus 2 and smaller OnePlus X will, eventually, be sold through Amazon US too. The move should improve the sales of both handsets, due to the added exposure and consumer trust associated with Amazon. It could also be a useful way to sell off old stock ahead of the OnePlus 3 launch.
Engadget giveaway: Win a OnePlus 2 smartphone!
The once elusive OnePlus smartphones have finally broken free of their invite-only status for those eager to score one. Although a relatively new name on the scene, the company's top-tier OnePlus 2 offers some heavy hitting specs. On the outside, it boasts a 5.5-inch, 1080p display and a sandstone-textured back, with optional panel upgrades spanning bamboo to Kevlar. Under the hood, it runs OxygenOS (a lightly skinned version of Android) with a Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM and a capacious 64GB of storage. There's also a 13-megapixel camera, USB-C for charging and data, and a fingerprint sensor to keeps things secure. This week, OnePlus has provided us with a pair of its OnePlus 2 handsets for two lucky readers to enjoy. All you need to do is head down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning. There's good news for everyone, though. After a recent price drop you can pick one up for just $349. Winners: Congratulations to Gerry M. of Norwalk, CA and Umar M. of Calgary AB!
The OnePlus 2 now costs $349
If you need a high-end phone but have budget issues, OnePlus has permanently lowered the price of its OnePlus 2 smartphone from $389 to $349 (€345 and £249 in Europe and the UK). That makes it just $100 more than its entry-level OnePlus X phone, and could push it from "kinda expensive" to "okay, I can handle that" for a lot of folks. To prevent any bent noses, the company said it would refund the $40 difference to anyone who purchased the OnePlus 2 within the last 15 days. It'll also throw in a free StyleSwap cover for a limited time.
OnePlus 2 drops the invite requirement on December 5th
If you're looking to purchase a new handset this holiday, OnePlus is hoping you'll look its way. To help lure you, the company is permanently dropping the invite usually required to purchase the OnePlus 2. What's more, you won't need an invitation to nab the smaller $249 OnePlus X between December 5th-7th. If you miss the window for the cheaper device, you can splurge for a OnePlus iPhone case that includes the requisite invitation. You'll want to act quickly, though, as the company says you'll have to order by December 7th to receive your new phone by Christmas.
OnePlus won't replace the 2's flawed USB Type-C cable
Google engineer Benson Leung recently tested the OnePlus 2's USB Type-C cable and said it "may cause damage to your charger, hub or PC USB port" if used on a fast-charging device. OnePlus has now admitted that it doesn't conform to the USB Type-C 1.1 spec, and has agreed to give refunds to its customers. There's one large caveat, however. Since the cable can't cause problems with the OnePlus 2 itself (it's not a fast-charging phone), the company won't give refunds or replacement cables to buyers of the handset. Instead, it will only refund customers who purchased the cable separately.
OnePlus: 'We messed up the launch of the OnePlus 2'
Once again, OnePlus has built a "flagship killer" that millions of people want, and once again, it's struggling to get the device in customers' hands. After delaying its arrival in the US and Canada, co-founder Carl Pei has admitted that the OnePlus 2 has only started shipping in "meaningful quantities" this week. That's a month later than expected, which is problematic given most smartphone makers work on a 12-month release cycle. "We messed up," Pei writes in a forum post. "We know that you are rooting for us, and want nothing more than to see us succeed. Therefore, it feels extra terrible to let you down this time around, again." OnePlus says it prepared more inventory for the OnePlus 2 launch, but clearly something has put a spanner in its production schedule. We were impressed with the device, but if you're desperate to upgrade your phone -- you might want to look elsewhere. For those still trying to get an invite, it could be an awfully long wait.
New in our buyer's guide: the Galaxy Note 5, OnePlus 2 and Moto G
Phones and gaming. Gaming and phones. That's about all we're adding to our buyer's guide this month. Since we last checked in, we've inducted a trio of new handsets, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, Moto G and the OnePlus 2. (And yes, we'll soon have to update the iPhone part of the guide too.) Meanwhile, we also decided that the Wii U and the New 3DS XL deserved spots in our gaming guide, along with a nod to toys-to-life products like Amiibo, Skylanders and Disney's Infinity series. We'll be back next month, but until then, feel free to poke around our complete guide to see our top picks.
Mini review video: our verdict on the OnePlus 2 in under a minute
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-879506{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-879506, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-879506{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-879506").style.display="none";}catch(e){} It wasn't an easy task following up on a phone that people already loved, but OnePlus has done just that with its second-gen flagship. Mostly, anyhow. The OnePlus 2 is an improvement over its predecessor in just about every way, with fast performance and solid build quality, all for a reasonable starting price of $329. That said, OnePlus faces stiffer competition in this price range than it did a year ago. Meanwhile, this updated model makes a few missteps, including a lack of NFC, a flaky fingerprint sensor and some early-build bugs. Given that OnePlus seems to be working on fixes for those lingering software issues, we still strongly recommend this, with a score of 86 out of a 100. It's definitely worth a look, provided you don't care about NFC and don't mind the lack of expandable storage. Learn about all that and more in our mini review video, and if you have time for a deep dive, check out our full review.
OnePlus 2 update brings Stagefright patch, battery improvements
We knew an over-the-air update was coming to the OnePlus 2, but now it's here. Today, OnePlus released the first software revision for its new flagship smartphone, bringing with it a few major changes to OxygenOS. The most important one, perhaps, is an added patch for Stagefright, the security vulnerability that's affecting more than 950 million Android devices. There are also improvements to the handset's battery performance and the user interface, as well as other under-the-hood enhancements that should make the OnePlus 2 more stable overall. Our own Senior Mobile Editor, Chris Velazco, noticed some software bugs in his review unit, so here's to hoping this version of OxygenOS (2.0.1) fixes these issues.
OnePlus 2 review: a worthy sequel, flaws and all
I don't envy the team at OnePlus. After shipping a smartphone that made us rethink what we could get -- nay, what we deserved -- for $299, it was tasked with building an even better follow-up. If this were some schlocky '80s, teen coming-of-age film, it'd be time for a montage, but here we are a year later with a more confident, experienced startup and a new device that still promises to "never settle." At $329 for the basic 16GB model (or $389 for the 64GB version), the new OnePlus 2 isn't quite as wallet-friendly as the phone we got last year, and more than a few rivals have since come out with low-cost, high-power phones of their own. So, did OnePlus do the impossible again? Did it actually create a worthy sequel to a fan-favorite device, amid crazy competition in the world of cheap, fantastic unlocked phones? Well, yes, but it's not without its flaws.
OnePlus 2's arrival in US and Canada gets delayed
We've got some bad news for those of you in the US and Canada waiting for the OnePlus 2. While you can still purchase the new device from OnePlus.net today if you have an invite code, you have quite a bit of wait ahead of you. The company has announced in its forums that it can't ship out units to North America just yet. It'll start sending out orders two to three weeks after shipments to Europe have begun, so you might end up waiting for a month, depending on your location. OnePlus said the delay was "due to production schedules," but it didn't elaborate on what that meant exactly. In case you're still on the fence about buying the manufacturer's new flagship phone, though, make sure to check out our preview before you pull the trigger.
Experience the OnePlus 2 cellphone launch July 27th in VR
OnePlus has heard your frustration about the drip-feeding of information leading to its next phone, but according to co-founder Carl Pei, it's going to "keep doing things differently." For the OnePlus 2, that means taking advantage of new technology just to announce the thing. On July 27th at 10PM ET, OnePlus new Snapdragon 810-powered cellphone will be revealed with a streaming virtual reality presentation. Just to make sure the fans can tune in, it's working on a free OnePlus Cardboard headset that owners of its first phone (pictured above) can use to watch. Sign up on the website for more info on the headset, and clear your schedule. So far, what we know about the phone is its CPU and that it uses a USB Type-C connector (check after the break for a video of Pei using the phone's charging cable to juice up a Macbook), but you should be able to see the new device in 360-degree surround next month.
OnePlus says its next flagship won't overheat, despite what you heard
"Today, I am proud to share with you that our eagerly-awaited OnePlus 2 will come loaded with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v2.1," starts the blog post from OnePlus. Color us not surprised that the sequel to one of the most sought-after Android phones will come with, well, the processor you expected it to (bar those pesky overheating rumors). What's more interesting is that ".1" hanging off the end of the processor's version number. OnePlus goes on to explain that it worked directly with Qualcomm to create an "improved" version of the CPU. One the phone-maker claims won't get hot like reports suggest.
