OnePlus has begun distributing ads for its new OnePlus 5 to older handsets. Users of the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T have been disappointed to see popups asking them to check out the latest model, and surveys giving them a chance to win one.
OnePlus should be proud of the OnePlus 5. For a fraction of the price, it offers specifications that rival its biggest competitors’, including Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 processor, up to 8GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage, and a stunning OLED display. It also boasts dual rear-facing cameras like the iPhone 7 Plus, offering cool portrait effects.
But there’s a right way and a wrong way to market the device, and sending ads to existing customers who have older devices definitely falls into the latter. Some have seen notifications asking them to check out the OnePlus 5, while others have been asked to take part in surveys that give them the chance to win a free model.
“It isn’t about the one notification, it’s about buying a pure Android phone that gets manufacturer spam app pushed into an update that you can’t turn off,” complained one user on Reddit. “I don’t want spam on my phone, that includes spam from my phone manufacturer,” said another.
Many have stated that they wouldn’t mind the notifications if they were given the option to opt-out, but OnePlus did not provide that; the notifications appear automatically and there’s no way to prevent future ads from popping up. One user compared the move to “Samsung level bulls**t.”
OnePlus hasn’t commented on the ads yet, but it’s likely they will stop once the company notices the fallout. Even with an opt-out option, however, there is a way to disable them. SlashGear reports you can go into the Apps section of the Settings app, look for “Push” under system apps, and disable it to prevent further ads.