OnePlus expects to sell 3 to 5 million smartphones this year

OnePlus may not be a household brand quite yet, but the company is anticipating that its global smartphone sales will reach between 3 and 5 million units this year. Not bad for a small company with only a single product on the market right now. Bloomberg’s video report (above) contains some other interesting titbits about the growing Chinese manufacturer as well.

Interestingly, Canalys research suggests that combined Europe and North America sales make up the bulk of OnePlus’ revenue, unlike Chinese rivals such as Xiaomi. This suggests that the controversial invite system has worked out in the company’s favour, allowing it to keep tight control over stock and costs while still meeting foreign demand. East Asia accounts for a substantial 39 percent portion of its sales, while India, the company’s next target market with its own dedicated invite system, has already grabbed a 7 percent share.

Speaking of growth, OnePlus is looking to Silicon Valley to help the company expand into new markets. Rather than seeking additional funding, co-founder Carl Pei says that the company is lean enough to turn a profit, OnePlus is looking for experienced senior staff to help push the company forward. OnePlus aims to become a platform host for software developers within the next five years, according to CEO Pete Lau. The newly developed Oxygen OS could be the starting point for this venture.

The report also reaffirms that two new OnePlus smartphones will be heading our way this year. The flagship OnePlus Two will arrive in the third quarter and another unspecified cheaper model will hit the market by the end of the year. Unfortunately, we don’t know much else about these upcoming phones, but they could be key if OnePlus is to push through the 3 million sales mark by the end of 2015.