OnePlus 2 fans will be able to purchase the smartphone without an invite on October 12 — but they'll have just one hour to do so.
OnePlus stirred up some waves when it released its original OnePlus One – aka the "flagship killer" – with top-notch specs at a fraction of the cost of other flagships. The company faced criticism, however, for its strategy of making its flagship available on an invite-only basis. Numerous fans wanted to purchase the handset, but didn't get the chance because it was not readily available.
OnePlus launched its second-generation flagship killer not too long ago, but it still didn't ditch the infamous invitation system. The company put the original OnePlus on sale without an invite, but the OnePlus 2 still has the invite-only status.
After a rather rocky start marred by shipping delays, the OnePlus 2 is finally ready to kick off its first open sale on Monday, October 12, giving interested customers a one-hour window during which they can purchase the handset without an invitation.
"On Monday, October 12, we are holding the first-ever OnePlus 2 open sales for one hour in four different time zones. This way, more fans around the world will get the best time possible to purchase the OnePlus 2 invite-free," OnePlus announced.
The one-hour window to buy the OnePlus 2 without an invite will kick off at 12 p.m. PT for North America, 12 p.m. CEST for Europe and 12 p.m. HKT for Asia on Monday, October 12. Interested customers in India, meanwhile, will be able to buy the handset invite-free from the OnePlus 2 page on Amazon India, from 12 p.m. IST.
OnePlus further notes that whereas customers can get a maximum two phones per order, they can place an unlimited number of orders. In other words, those who move fast will be able to get more OnePlus 2 handsets without an invitation during this one-hour free sale.
Judging by the limited availability of the OnePlus 2 due to this invite-only system, it's likely that more units will pop up online at higher prices once this sale is over, as some will try to get their hands on as many smartphones as they can and resell them at a premium to those who didn't get the chance to buy one.
Lastly, OnePlus expects high demand for its OnePlus 2, which could lead to some delays in processing orders. During the open sale, customers will receive an estimated shipping timeframe at checkout.
