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Opinion post by

Dhruv Bhutani

The original OnePlus was a watershed moment in smartphone history. By stripping down the smartphone to its essentials — performance and value — the company clenched its claim to fame as the maker of the first affordable flagship. More importantly, it was the non-trivial task of creating a community of die-hard fans willing to take a bet on an unknown company and part with cold, hard cash that set the brand apart. And for the most part, it came down to one person — Carl Pei. And now he’s back at it again with the Nothing Phone 1.

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