No matter how well received the OnePlus One has been so far, the company appears to be somewhat struggling to make enough units for all interested buyers, and the invite system that is currently the only way to score a handset isn’t exactly that appealing. The company is apparently aware of the confusion created and has further clarified the process by answering a series of questions buyers keep asking.
To get an invites, users will have to wait for contests and raffles at first. After that, the people who actually buy the device will be able to invite friends to purchase their own phones.
“The first real batch of invites roll out late May, and will be of the 64GB Sandstone Black version,” the company wrote, explaining when the first invites will be available. “Any invites that you might have been promised before this, will be sent during this time.”
Customers who receive an invite from a OnePlus One owner will have 24 hours to act, and purchase their handset. Once the period expires the invite is returned to the sender. The invites that users can give away to others will be valid for longer, usually for one or two weeks, after which time they will expire if not used.
The company said that at first invites quantities will be smaller, but the number will increase as time goes by and production ramps up. “You will frequently receive new invites to give away as production ramps up,” the company said, adding that initially, the phone’s purchase will not come with bundled invites to give away. Instead, invites will be rolled out later on.
A good tip to stay informed on the invite system is to follow the OnePlus forum and social channels for the first raffles and contests. The first 100 OnePlus One units will be given away to lucky customers that are ready to smash their devices, or donate them.
