OnePlus' latest product is an iPhone 6S case, but there's a kicker

OnePlus' latest product is an iPhone 6S case, but there's a kicker

OnePlus, purveyor of affordable flagship smartphones, has a new product. A phone case to be exact, but it doesn't fit any of the phones it's made. Instead, it's for the iPhone 6S.

Confused? So are we. OnePlus is billing it as "the perfect gift for your non-techie friends" - a stab at iPhone owners, suggesting a lack of knowledge about the phone they have.

In fact the Chinese firm teased the announcement yesterday on its Twitter feed, but why would any self respecting OnePlus fan want to encourage their Apple-entrenched friends? Simple: a OnePlus X invite.

OnePlus iPhone case

Oh OnePlus, you tease

X marks the spot

This might actually be the easiest way to get your hands on the OnePlus X, as every OnePlus iPhone 6S (it also fits the iPhone 6) case comes with an invite code to buy the firm's newest smartphone.

It's no regular invite though. It has a chance of being a limited edition Ceramic invite, or even a free device!

So how much will the case and the guarantee of being able to buy the OnePlus X set you back? £15.99 (US$19.99, around AU$28).

The OnePlus X meanwhile is priced at a reasonable £199 - not bad for a handset which boasts a full HD 5-inch display, 3GB of RAM, 13MP rear camera, 8MP front camera and 16GB of storage plus a microSD slot.

Will people be willing to pay the extra money to secure an option to buy it? Some will, sure, but it does feel rather like OnePlus is now selling invites (which happen to be attached to a phone case) - which isn't so cool.

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.