OnePlus’s Xi Zeng on what it takes to create the hottest new smartphone brand

Your smartphone is the ultimate tech accessory: a device so integral to your connection to the outside word that you spend upwards of eight hours a day staring at it.

It makes sense, then, that people are fairly loyal when it comes to their devices, sticking firmly to iOS over Android or Apple over Samsung, for instance.

In recent years, however, the market has been heating up. Chinese-based Huawei recently overtook Apple to become the second-biggest phone maker in the world, whilst newcomer OnePlus just became one of the top four premium smartphone brands in Western Europe.

What’s the best way to make a mark in this competitive world?

“Good design”, OnePlus’s head of creative Xi Zeng tells the Standard. “It should make you feel proud.”

“Like the clothes you wear, your phone is such a statement piece but unlike your clothes which you change every day, your phone is something you 'wear' day in, day out."

We caught up with Zeng to talk about how this design ethos is helping OnePlus to make its mark.

Step 1: start with the brand

OnePlus launched a mere five years ago but it has quickly gained traction for its innovative designs and easy-to-use devices. The most recent phone, the OnePlus 6, sold one million devices in the first 22 days.

For Zeng, whose job it is to promote the company's passion and culture, this success comes down to the brand's character.

“The personality of the brand is of the utmost importance,” he says. “We want people to love our products because they are fantastic, and also because they have faith, trust and a strong affinity towards the brand.”

It’s difficult to create a strong brand identity from scratch, particularly in the increasingly crowded world of smartphones. OnePlus uses Qualcomm chips inside its phones, just like Samsung and Sony, and uses Google’s Android operating system, found in around two billion devices around the world.

To stand out, a newcomer needs to use these features creatively. OnePlus has a customised version of Android on its phones, named OxygenOs, which enables it to design such features as their own weather and clock apps - i.e. opportunities to reveal OnePlus' personality in different ways.

In the clock app, for instance, there is a time zone converter, so you can have ‘home time’ and the current time for the place you are in. Zeng says the inspiration behind this came from when he was studying abroad, trying to arrange to speak to his mum via video chat.

“When I moved around it was difficult and we missed each other often,” he says. “People should feel close to each other, no matter where they are in the world.”

He adds, “We think of how the person uses something, not how we can get the best specs in.”

Step 2: put community at the core

When you’re building a new brand, you need to have the support of the people who will buy your products. That’s why whenever there’s a new launch, OnePlus holds specialised pop-up events just for fans, so they are included in pivotal moments.

To give an example, with the recent announcement of OnePlus' new TV, CEO Pete Lau took to Twitter to ask for name and feature suggestions.

“We include our community in everything we do, especially at launch events,” says Zeng. “We want them to have an exciting, engaging experience from the moment a device launches, through to when they first pick it up and beyond.”

Unboxing is one part of the 'new product experience' where OnePlus likes to go all out. For the launch of the limited edition OnePlus 5T Star Wars phone last year, fans had to break a code to find a prism in the box, which created an iconic hologram from the film series.

Zeng explains this was a chance for all of the company’s customers to be part of the new product, instead of reserving special unboxing moments for media or influencers.

“It’s a vital part of being an exciting and personable brand,” he adds.

Step 3: always improve

OnePlus’s mantra is “Never settle”, which is a good slogan for a start-up competing with the likes of Apple (now worth over $1 trillion). Usually, OnePlus releases one flagship device a year, though it sometimes chooses to unveil a mid-cycle upgrade, on top of a limited edition device like this year’s OnePlus 6 Red.

However, Zeng says the company will only release an upgrade if it makes sense.

“We’re constantly experimenting with redefining our design, whether it’s trying out different colours or shaving microns off the curve of the handset so it feels even better in your hand. If we feel our users will get the right amount of added value from an upgrade then we may consider [it].”

At the moment, all eyes are on whether OnePlus will announce a 6T device to complement the 6 released earlier this year. Zeng isn’t giving anything away, but if there is a new device on the horizon you can be sure it’s going to look good.

“Our CEO Pete Lau once told me he’s trying to build a warm product, and I really understand what he was talking about,” he says. “So, I’m going to make it hot.”