OnePlus on Thursday announced a new initiative dubbed Project Starlight that will see the Chinese smartphone maker invest Rs. 6,000 crore in the country over the next three years. The company says the investment will help it improve customer service and the durability of its devices — it previously announced a repair programme for its smartphones affected by display-related issues. OnePlus also says that it will also focus on introducing new features that are aimed at users in India.
OnePlus Plans to Increase Service Centres With Project Starlight Initiative
The company said in a press release that it plans to increase the number of its service centres in India by 50 percent, and that it plans to complete this goal by the first half of 2026. OnePlus didn’t provide specific numbers, but the firm added that it increased its exclusive service centres by 11 percent in 2024, while the total number of centres rose by 22 percent.
As part of its efforts to revamp its service experience, the company will also let customers access support via live chat, WhatsApp, and a hotline, and they will also be able to track the progress of their service requests. OnePlus’ website lists around 40 exclusive and 33 authorised retail stores in the country, and the firm says that third party retail stores will be able to offer “enhanced service capabilities” under the initiative.
OnePlus also says it is rolling out a new “Green Line Worry-Free Solution” that will expand its earlier lifetime screen warranty programme to any product that is affected by a green line on its display. It is also adding a new protective layer to AMOLED panels used on its smartphones and ramping up hardware testing. The company has also touted improvements to display used on the upcoming OnePlus 13, which will be the first handset in the country with a DisplayMate A++ screen.
OnePlus’ Project Starlight to Introduce Features Aimed at Indian Users
In addition to revamping its customer service experience in the country, OnePlus says it is also working on features that are designed for users in India. It will introduce a feature on the OnePlus 13 called Steady Connect that that is claimed to enable more reliable Bluetooth connections with up to 360m range. OnePlus says this feature is designed to improve wireless connectivity in places like subways and gyms, where connections might be affected by traffic or interference.
According to the company, the upcoming OnePlus 13 will also arrive with support for 5G-Advanced (5.5G) cellular network connectivity in India, which is claimed to offer an average speed enhancement of up to 380 percent. Meanwhile, a signal optimisation feature will be introduced with support for transit systems like the Delhi Metro, for improved network performance, according to the company.