Attendees Play A Check-In Game To Win Prizes By Tapping Their NFC-Enabled Android Smartphones
IN PHOTO: Attendees play a check-in game to win prizes by tapping their NFC-enabled Android smartphones at the Google I/O developers conference in San Francisco June 25, 2014. Reuters/Elijah Nouvelage

The flagship killer OnePlus One has what it takes to be among the top handsets of 2014. However, the path has not been very smooth for the promising China-based startup. The never-ending problem started with the last-minute software issue nearing the phone's release date, followed by the infamous invitation-only purchase model.

Specifically, the handset manufacturer was slammed for the invitation-based order that made it impossible for users across the globe to buy the handset. It is only fair then that many potential buyers opted for other devices. However, the OnePlus One should not be written off altogether, predominantly because the handset packs high-end, impressive features at a nominal price tag.

After realising the agonising mistake, OnePlus has finally relented and the preorder purchase model will be introduced toward the end of October, GSM Arena says. The company will introduce flash sales where interested buyers can place an order for the OnePlus One handset, similar to Xiaomi's model ordering system. It is important to note that a lot of orders came in for the Xiaomi units within seconds of opening the flash sale window in India. However, there will be no cap on the amount of units that can be ordered during the flash sale of OnePlus One.

Interested buyers should note that the ready-made OnePlus One smartphones will be available in limited quantities. Therefore, when the number of order becomes overwhelming, the flash sale will ultimately move to the preorder format, GSM Arena reports. Furthermore, OnePlus will provide a rough estimation of when the buyer will get the device before the customer authorises the payment. In this case, if the approximate date doesn't sound good, the user can easily cancel the process and his order.

The key specifications of the OnePlus One handset include a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display complemented by 1,080 x 1,920 pixels resolution, a 2.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 Krait 400 SoC and 3 GB of RAM. The device runs on a killer combination of Android v4.4 KitKat OS with CyanogenMod 11S. Also, the smartphone is equipped with 16 GB and 64 GB of internal storage with no microSD card support. The device also has a 13 MP primary camera unit with dual-LED flash and a 5 MP shooter in the front. Furthermore, a 3100 mAh battery unit and NFC support complete the killer device.

What do you think of this purchase model? Do you think it is a good idea or do you think it is too late in the game? Feel free to leave a comment.

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