Update 11/9/17: OnePlus will be giving all ticket purchasers a “swag bag” and a $40 coupon off the retail price of the 5T.
OnePlus is best known for offering premium phones at mid-range prices, and the upcoming OnePlus 5T will likely continue in that vein. But while we don’t know how much the new handset will cost, we do know one thing: If you want to see it before it goes on sale, it’ll cost you $40.
That’s right, the company that coined the motto “Never Settle” is charging fans for tickets to its first-ever U.S. launch event on November 16. While OnePlus will still be live-streaming the event via its web site, if you want to see the 5T in all its glory you can buy a ticket for $40 starting November 8 at noon ET. OnePlus doesn’t say how many seats will be available or where the event will be held, but we do know it will take place in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Like last year’s OnePlus 3T, the OnePlus 5T is a mid-cycle refresh of the OnePlus 5. However, this year’s model might bring more than a bigger battery and a better camera. Rumors have pegged the handset as having an all-new new design that follows the slim-bezel, 18:9 aspect ratio trend we’ve seen in Samsung and LG phones, and the tagline on the event website, “A New View,” seems to corroborate those reports.
That would certainly be a welcome change. When we reviewed the OnePlus 5 back in June, we felt that the design left a little to be desired, with its 5.5-inch screen, chunky bezels, and home button. A 6-inch display would certainly change things, especially if it also brings wireless charging, water resistance, and Verizon support.
While the ticket purchase page promises snacks and drinks, One Plus has confirmed that attendees will walk away with more than just a memory. Fans will get a “swag bag” featuring OnePlus gear “worth upwards of $70,” as well as a $40 coupon toward their 5T purchase.
We’ll have to wait to see what OnePlus unveils next Thursday, but if you want to be there and have $40 burning a hole in your pocket, OnePlus will happily sell you a ticket to the big show.
Why this matters: OnePlus may be a smaller player in the Android world but it still garners a lot of attention. While opening up press events to fans is a cool way to drum up interest in new products—especially for smaller companies—charging $40 for a ticket seems a little steep. The only people who are likely to buy tickets to an event like this are OnePlus’s die-hard fans, so perhaps a lottery or reward system would be more appropriate. While the coupon and swag bag are nice, it would be better if One Plus would have just offered a limited number of tickets for free.