OnePlus to enter talks with U.S. carriers

Revered among Android enthusiasts, OnePlus is a company that has built a loyal following from the ground up. While the scrappy manufacturer has seen astonishing success with its online sales and innovative marketing, it remains largely unknown to mainstream carriers. With two highly successful phones launched in 2017, OnePlus is looking to broaden its reach in 2018. To do so, CEO Peter Lau says that OnePlus will begin talking to U.S. carriers.

Striking a deal with U.S. carriers would be a big step for OnePlus, which has only sold its devices directly to customers. But in the U.S., it’s estimated that upwards of 80% of consumers purchase their smartphones through a carrier. If OnePlus wants to reach the lucrative market in a powerful way, it has almost no choice but to partner with a carrier. While such a partnership can pose risks like slow updates, it would allow OnePlus to become known among the mainstream U.S. smartphone market.

OnePlus has also confirmed that it will launch a new phone in the second quarter of 2018, but declined to say if it will release a second device later in the year.

source: androidandme