On March 19, we saw the fifth in a series of specification announcements by OnePlus. If you go by the graphic below, it will be the last before what presumably will be the full reveal of the OnePlus One phone. While this news is a few days old, we wanted to wait until we could get a few clarifications and additional details from OnePlus before we posted this.
In a post on the OnePlus forums, Peter Lau announced that there will be five different StyleSwap Covers: Silk White, Sandstone Gray, Denim, Bamboo, and Kevlar. What's more, three of them, the Kevlar, Denim and Bamboo, will be made from their actual materials.
Engineers and designers spend a lot of time creating the specific look for a phone, but then people tend to cover it up with a case. Don’t you think that it’s a pity to cover up a beautiful device? We believe that the appeal and beauty of a device should speak for itself. Adding size and bulk to a phone for protection is a thing of the past.With a number of different covers, you will still have the ability to customize your phone while continuing to protect it. The designs are elegant and attractive, but still durable and strong. You no longer have to sacrifice either protection or appearance to take care of your phone.To ensure the best look, feel, and level of protection, these covers will actually be made with their own respective materials (not silk or sandstone though).
One thing we wanted to clarify with OnePlus is what it means by 'covers.' We have learned that OnePlus is referring to the back cover of the phone, not a separate case. So while OnePlus does talk about durability, these aren't going to provide the same level of protection as a proper full case, especially for the sides and front. However, this could also mean that the sides of the phone will be made from a more durable material, possibly (and hopefully!) metal.
We have also learned that the OnePlus One will only be available with a choice of two of the covers out of the box, the Silk White and Sandstone Gray, which we guess is a bit of a nod to Apple, and that the other covers will be sold separately. While pricing has not been announced, since OnePlus is hoping you'll just buy a new cover if the existing one gets scratched up (instead of putting the phone in an ugly case), the cost of the covers should be reasonable. The last tidbit of information we got about the covers is that there will be a few extra covers beyond the initial five that have yet to be announced. Personally, I'd like to see some more wood choices, especially something in a darker shade.
Also, in the first part of our interview with OnePlus's Carl Pei, we told you about their contest to fly a fan to Hong Kong to be the first to touch the back of the OnePlus One, and now the full details of the contest have been posted. Contestants have to post a short video to Instagram or YouTube about how they feel about the OnePlus One's technology. The contest closes at 9 a.m. EDT March 28, with the winner being announced on March 31.
To learn more about the OnePlus One, you can read part two of our interview with Carl, and part three here.
Keep checking back with Tom's for all the latest OnePlus news, and stay tuned for a comparison of the just announced Oppo Find 7 to discover what we know so far about the One.
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