If you are based in Europe and were considering buying a OnePlus 3 smartphone, you are out of luck.
Sales of the OnePlus 3 flagship smartphone have been suspended in several countries due to high demand. Customers in a number of countries will have to wait for news from OnePlus before they can order one of the phones.
Founder suspends OnePlus 3 sales on temporary basis
“We were confident in the OnePlus 3 when it launched, but sales in mainland Europe have been way better than what we expected,” OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei wrote in a blog post. “Therefore, we’ve decided to temporarily pause sales in some countries in order to give inventory time to replenish,” he announced.
From August 9- to September 12 online sales will be suspended in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain, as well as Hong Kong.
If you are in one of the affected areas the company is offering a notification service which will let you know when the handsets are available again. Simply sign up online to receive the news if you are placing an order after August 9.
U.S. customers can still order limited-edition handset
“We are working hard to secure more stock and fire up more production lines so that we can fulfill our goal of putting premium products into the hands of as many people as possible,” Pei said.
In the United States, buyers can still order the limited-edition OnePlus 3 “Soft Gold” smartphone for $399. The OnePlus 3 launched in February and shipped in June, with the 5.5-inch device featuring a 1080p Full HD display.
The handset is powered by OxygenOS, an Android-based system. It boasts customizable navigation keys and a fingerprint sensor for secure unlocking, as well as a 3,000 mAh battery. The OnePlus 3 also has Dash Charge capabilities, which can give you 60% charge in just half an hour.
Other features include an 9MP front camera and 16MP rear unit.
Latest in a string of supply chain problems at OnePlus
OnePlus has suffered previous problems with stock, and the news is likely to frustrate fans of the brand. All of the company’s previous handsets have fallen victim to some sort of supply chain issue.
Previous handsets were released on an invite-only basis, and the OnePlus 3 is the first effort from the company that doesn’t use the system.
“The OnePlus 3 represents the third year we’re making smartphones, and expectations from our fans are higher than ever,” he wrote. “In year three, we didn’t feel it was defensible to keep selling our devices via an invite system, and took the necessary steps to be able to go invite free. The response has been overwhelming, and the OnePlus 3 is the fastest selling device we’ve ever made.”
Since its release the flagship smartphone has received excellent reviews. The company recently raised the price of the OnePlus 3 in the United Kingdom in response to sterling’s weakness against the dollar following the Brexit vote. Prices increased from £309 to £329 after the pound lost considerable value against the dollar.
If you want to get your hands on one of the phones you need to order quickly, otherwise you could be left waiting until early September. Alternatively you could check out the admittedly higher-priced Samsung Galaxy Note 7, or wait and see what Apple does with the iPhone 7.
