Vito, who has worked at OnePlus since 2013. (Photo shot by ifanr) ​

David

Vito

David

Vito

David

Vito

David

Vito

David

Vito

David

Vito

David

Vito

(What Vito will probably say to this: No way, buddy.)

Each generation of OnePlus products wouldn't be possible without the passion of each member of the OnePlus family. We created this product together. There are lots of untold stories behind our latest flagship. So, I directly reached out to @Vito L. , the product manager for the OnePlus 5 to ask him some questions and dug up some juicy details on the OnePlus 5. (We often go to gym together so the conversation went pretty straight): So, how do you feel these days?: Lol. I am exhausted. We have focused on so many details in this product from the beginning till now. From feature details like reducing noise while calling to aptX HD support for wireless headphones to screen calibration and brightness management.We closely followed the development of new features like reading mode. We didn't have any reference example because we're the first ones to develop and achieve a mode like this. After we perceived and looked deeper into this need, we added the RBG sensor interface and kept tuning it to adjust for different environment lights. We have put huge efforts into this feature.: For how long?: Couple of months. We had developed more than 20 versions. In the beginning, there was just a little bit of light color, then slowly we had some visual effects that started to look like an e-reader. We had to let the entire color temperature curve work perfectly with the ambient temperature curve, and text processing. And then tweaked it again and again. I remember once, when I was at home, I felt that there were some problems with the color temperature, but there was no desk lamp with same low light temperature in my lab, so I just took the lamp directly to the lab and better tested them.: Who came up with this idea first? Was the goal always the same for this feature?: It really was a group effort. We aimed to offer users a more eye-friendly display solution in certain scenarios. We knew yellow wouldn't always be the best choice. There could be a huge visual contrast for instance, when you are under a cold light temperature environment with a yellowish screen, which might make your eyes feel uncomfortable and tire easily. And vice versa, would do the same. That inspired and encouraged us to offer an advanced solution that could be eye-friendly, and match your device environment.As we can see from the subway or other public transportation, people spend a lot of time reading on mobiles. Some people may be dedicated enough to carry a Kindle for reading. That also inspired us to offer a similar solution like reading mode, so that you can comfortably read longform content on your phone and switch easily to other tasks. However, we did not expect this feature to cost us so much time to develop. It took even longer than the improved night mode and DCI-P3 screen calibration.: Any reasons for the "global network" support?: Two reasons. First, we have thousands of users across the globe. Second, global network support can help us better manage stock.The antenna has to support 34 bands, more than 100 CA combinations and higher order modulation in one global version. Many new techniques like 2X2 MIMO for dual WIFI were added into it, so this set super high requirements for the antenna, which included the challenge to better place components.One of the biggested challenges with the antenna involved industrial design. The antenna design required a large opening, which directly affected the ID. When we nailed all the above challenges, we found that we couldn't support the NFC antenna into it. We couldn't figure out an acceptable solution until one of our structural engineers hit upon a great idea: to place the NFC antenna in the middle of the camera module (this is patented btw, haha). This approach greatly enhanced the overall beauty of the back. That's why, as you can see, the NFC antenna is subtly inlaid as a vertical line above the camera ring.: Which feature are you most proud of in this product?: Performance – Snapdragon 835, 6GB/8GB RAM, and UFS 2.1. Hard to choose one, all are attractive. Users like to call the OnePlus 5 is a performance beast. But more than that, I am proud of its overall experience. We have improved and enhanced so many features not only in hardware, but also in software. Vibration, audio or speaker may not sound like big selling points, but we've sweetened these features to improve the overall experience. We spent lots of time tuning these features, so that you can feel them when you're hands on with the device.: Community users have been asking for water-resistance since before the launch. What's your take on that?: Yup, we did see that. To be totally transparent, we have done some basic water protection for the OnePlus 5. No IP rating, but better than our previous products. To increase the product's reliability, also to avoid risks that come from the occasional accident like getting your phone wet on a rainy day or dropping into a sink. We have not precisely identified the extent of this, so that's why we don't talk about it a lot or cover "liquid damage" in our warranty policy.: What's your hope for this product?: I hope everyone who is either interested in OP5 or has questions about it can really have it in their hands to better experience it on their own. I am confident about it. I also believe users will pay for good, solid products and recognize its real value. That's why we trust our community and spend a lot of time gathering real feedback from our users, and constantly improve our products. To make them the best the world has seen.And that was all the time that Vito had! He was so tired that the next day after we finished the talk, he took a break from work to explore the beautiful Tibetan Plateau. And he shared one of his best #ShotonOnePlus shots with me. (He's back at the office now!)Do you have any product-related questions that you want to ask Vito? If so, directly drop your questions below and I will pester him to answer them. Maybe we can get some secret info from him hehehe...Yours,David