The launch of the much-awaited OnePlus 6T will take place at an event in New York, on October 29. Anticipation for the new phone is high, as the device will come with an in-display fingerprint sensor and enough upgrades to make it feature on the shopping list for Diwali. Meanwhile, the company is also sprucing up its offline distribution channel. Here is what Vikas Agarwal, OnePlus India’s general manager, told t2 over phone.

Vikas Agarwal, OnePlus India’s general manager Agencies

The launch of OnePlus 6T must be a big moment you have been waiting for.

Every product is very important for us because at every launch, we introduce only one smartphone. Typically the previous device is phased out when a new device arrives. We don’t have any backup and we go all out with every phone. OnePlus 6T will be a game changer. Screen unlock is what we are introducing this time. It is still not a market standard. And we are very excited that it is coming during Diwali.

You have a few variants of OnePlus 6 in the market. Can you tell us which model is selling more?

A lot of people have bought the 128GB model, which is priced at Rs 40,000. This means people are looking for a valuable deal and not the cheapest deal. People want a phone which will last, say, two years. Unlike in the West, where people have lower usage time, in India we like to use a device for two-three years. We do have a fairly high upgrade rate. But if you look at it from a numbers perspective, many people are switching from other brands. Also, when 6T launches, people who are on 3 and 3T are likely to upgrade. The loyalty rate for OnePlus is high.

You are also focusing on the offline segment. Now you have a deal with Reliance Digital, which complements your partnership with Croma.

Our diversification with the first offline experience store in Bangalore was the stepping stone in this direction. Since then we have had 14 offline stores in different cities. We also have a partnership with one of the biggest electronic retail chains in India — Croma. This means we now have a fairly good understanding of the potential of the offline market. There is room to have another partner to expedite the offline extension. Through Croma we have around 112 stores in around 20 cities and we have 14 of our own stores, besides being in the process of setting up another 20 stores, which will soon go live in the form of kiosks in Tier II cities. With the Reliance partnership, we will now have another nine cities; we are opening 20 stores in 20 cities, of which nine are non-exclusive cities where we did not have partnerships earlier.

Do people in India prefer to buy offline more?

What is happening here is that offline is helping us to have a better reach and more visibility. This will translate into more trust in the brand. Online is the dominating channel for us in Tier I cities. In Tier II cities online and offline are on the same footing.

The way we see it is that most customers are loyal to a particular channel. If somebody is comfortable buying offline, the person would continue to do so. There will be some spill over but, more or less, online shoppers avoid buying offline and vice versa, unless there are specific offers. Because of offers, some people shop on specific channels. Last week, when we had the first week of Diwali offer on Amazon, we received orders worth Rs 400 crore just in a day and a half. As we come closer to Diwali, offline channels will see maximum sales.

What to expect on the OnePlus 6T

Confirmed

In-screen fingerprint sensor. The Vivo X21 and Porsche Design Huawei Mate RS have tried the feature but the 6T will be the first widely available phone with the feature.

No 3.5mm headphone jack: In an interview with CNET, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has confirmed this.

Yet to be confirmed

• The phone may have a mini-notch.
  
• It may have the same eight-core Snapdragon 845 currently onboard OnePlus 6.