Much-hyped OnePlus One launched in India for Rs 21,999

The flagship Sandstone Black One has 64GB in built memory and boasts Snapdragon 801 processor

Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus on Tuesday launched its flagship 64GB Sandstone Black One, with Snapdragon 801 processor, for Rs 21,999, in New Delhi.

Touted as the most awaited smartphone of the year, the device is to be sold only to users with invites, on Amazon.in. India-specific invites for the Tuesday launch have already been distributed through OnePlus and Amazon.

The company said India was the first market where it had a local office and support team. Those who purchased their Ones abroad and got shipped to India need not worry, as OnePlus has promised local warranty. Users, though, might have to pay for support, said Carl Pei, co-founder of One Plus. A 10-day return policy by Amazon was also announced.

Also, there were reports on Tuesday that the company might set up a research & development centre in the country.

The One runs on Android’s KitKat custom ROM CyanogenMod globally. However, CyanogenMod recently announced it would be partnering with Micromax exclusively in India, leaving users in the country bemused even before OnePlus One’s launch in the country.

Pei and Vikas Agarwal, One Plus’ India general manager, said even they were not sure about what CyanogenMod was up to; OnePlus would host a session on Reddit on Friday to clear the confusion.

Going forward, OnePlus is slated to build its own operating system, which is likely to be rolled out in February. India will probably be one of the first countries to get the OnePlus Two, the next smartphone in the flagship series, in about two quarters from now.

OnePlus will also sell its accessories in India through Amazon.