OnePlus was not a pioneer when the manufacturer unveiled its first smartphone, the OnePlus One, in 2014. And yet, it was able to take market share away from the established industry giants at the time, with Apple, HTC, LG, and Samsung at the forefront: In addition to technology from the higher hierarchy, the company relied on clever marketing, such as an Android version that was developed alongside with the Cyanogen community.
The startup’s success attracted the interest of established manufacturers. Oppo eventually bought over the start-up. However, problems grew with the increasing size. Most recently, sales fell well short of expectations.
Expectations Have Not Been Met for Some Time
This piece of bad news even came from India, which happens to be one of the most important markets. In May 2024, 4,500 retailers declared that they would not sell any more OnePlus models. The reasons given? The slow processing of warranty claims and low sales margins. Overall, deliveries fell by more than 20 percent in 2024, from around 17 million to 13 to 14 million. Markets in Europe and the USA also did not expand as desired. OnePlus already had to reduce its workforce in Germany, France, and the UK in 2020.
The Oppo Group, the force behind the brand, tried to counteract the downward trend and invested another $14 billion in 2022. However, this did not bring about the hoped-for turnaround, so Oppo is now pulling the plug. Even hopefuls that have already been developed, such as the OnePlus Open 2 Foldable or the compact but powerful OnePlus 15s (review), will no longer be released, as Android Headline learned.
It is Not Only a Problem at OnePlus
However, Oppo is not only struggling with problems at OnePlus. The Group’s subsidiary, Realme, a brand that was known in this country for affordable models, was also recently absorbed. Apparently, the success of its competitor, Xiaomi, is affecting the manufacturer. This is not just an isolated case. ASUS will also withdraw from the smartphone market.
At least owners of current OnePlus smartphones have nothing to worry about: Oppo will continue to deliver both the promised Android updates and security updates even if the OnePlus brand calls it a day.
