The long-awaited 'OnePlus One' smartphone, also known as the 'flagship killer' is here. The OnePlus One runs on CyanogenMod 11S version, which is based on the Android 4.4 KitKat OS. The handset boasts some of the best high-end specifications and features that could give tough competition to the existing pack of high-end phones like the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2, LG G3 and HTC One (M8).

It is worth noting that, according to the company OnePlus, the scheduled shipment of this killer smartphone was delayed due to software problems. However, the company quickly fixed the software issue pertaining to Open SSL encryption protocol and the smartphone is indeed ready for shipment starting Thursday in selected markets. Notably, the first set of OnePlus One smartphone units will ship only to buyers with invites.

According to NDTV, the handset can also be purchased/pre-ordered without contract from five online retailers based out of France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. In addition, the handset is being marketed in North America, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Also, the company is expected to expand the availability to other countries at a later date. As far as the price goes:

  1. 16 GB variant is priced at US$299
  2. 64 GB variant is priced at US$349

Powerful Operating System Specification

OnePlus One is an Android smartphone with the latest Android 4.4 KitKat on board, but the twist comes in the form of CyanogenMod 11S. It is a community- driven program which takes pure Android as a foundation and builds additional features on top of it. However, CyanogenMod is not heavily-skinned like HTC's Sense UI or Samsung's TouchWiz UI; instead CyanogenMod goes easy on the implementation.

Killer Hardware Specifications

The smartphone is powered by a superior quad-core (Qualcomm Snapdragon 801) Krait 400 processor, clocked at 2.5 GHz. Other features include:

  1. 5.5 inches IPS LCD display with 1080p Full HD resolution,
  2. 3 GB of RAM,
  3. 16 GB or 64 GB of internal storage,
  4. Protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3,
  5. Comes with magnesium housing,
  6. 13 MP primary camera, 6-lens Sony Exmor camera with f/2.0 aperture and dual LED flash,
  7. 4K video capture support,
  8. 5 MP front-facing camera,
  9. A whopping embedded 3100 mAh battery unit,
  10. 4G LTE,
  11. No microSD slot,
  12. Supports NFC,
  13. Colour: Silk White and Sandstone Black

What do you think of the OnePlus One handset? Is this really a flagship killer? Feel free to leave a comment.