OnePlus to open an R&D center in Europe, invites Sony employees over

OnePlus may have a bit more tricks up its sleeve than it appears. The company, notorious for launching a handset, which it dubbed the "2014 flagship killer", pricing it extremely affordably, and then limiting its sales by introducing its storied invite system, seems to be switching gears a bit. While the OnePlus shop sells the fabled handset internationally, the manufacturer hasn't really shown any large-scale ambition of exponential worldwide growth, at least not as much as Xiaomi, who looks to become the largest worldwide smartphone slinger in the following years.

However, while OnePlus may be holding back on the bombastic statements (aside from the "Never Settle" motto, that is), it seems some sort of expansion plan may be brewing in its kitchen after all. Co-founder Carl Pei posted a Google+ update, stating that OnePlus will be building an R&D center in Europe in the second half of 2015. The post also links to a news article about the 1,000 job cuts that Sony is planning for its mobile division – apparently, Carl Pei is hinting that ex-Sony employees will be welcome to apply for OnePlus' center in Europe.

So, what could this mean? Well, creating a research and development division in Europe could hint at plans for OnePlus to expand more aggressively in the western markets. Such a center would probably be concerned with creating designs and functions that would better appeal to the US and EU markets, though, if we are to be fair – the OnePlus One doesn't seem to lack desirability across the globe. The intent behind the new R&D center may also be to give some better street cred to OnePlus products, dispersing any potential prejudice towards their sturdiness and reliability.

Whatever the reason for the new department – we won't be seeing any fruits from its labor any time soon – the OnePlus 2 will be coming out in Q3 2015, according to latest reports, which means that it will launch either before, or parallel with the building of the new R&D center. Ergo – whatever the Europe-based specialists will be working on – we will see it in the OnePlus Three (unofficial name) at the earliest.