Oppo Shuts Down OnePlus: End of a Smartphone Era?
The smartphone market seems to be closing a chapter as information suggests parent company Oppo is discontinuing OnePlus. While there has been no official announcement from OnePlus yet. There are a variety of factors indicating the brand’s slow dismantling.
Rumours Of a OnePlus Shutdown
According to an article, it is anticipated that the company plans to eliminate OnePlus gradually from within the larger organisation. Employees based in North America, Europe, and Asia (including China and India) are reporting internal restructuring activities. It indicate a major change in OnePlus’ operations and indicate a likely impending closure. The report states there are four independent research firms that have confirmed the information supporting their views.
Although there is no official confirmation. The information provided, provides a bleak view of OnePlus and their potential future in global smartphone markets.
Signs Indicating A Decline
Some consider the situation as “a death sentence” because of the numerous structural and strategy failures. Some examples of these are: a drastic decline in delivery numbers, a rapid closure of OnePlus’ headquarters with no prior notice, end of partnerships, and substantial cuts to employees in Western countries.
Furthermore, the cancellation of a number of important products has also been noted. It has been claimed that both the highly anticipated OnePlus Open 2 and OnePlus 15s flagship devices are no longer being developed.
Additionally, decision-making about strategies and direction are fully controlled at a national level in China. Therefore, only a minority of regional locations have any degree of autonomy and decision-making power.
Metrics on shipment numbers support this view
Some aspects of market data will be of concern when evaluated through the Omdia report. OnePlus shipments fell by over 20% between 2023-2024. It is going from approximately 17 million units down to an estimated 13-14 million units. Opposite of that position, Oppo experienced a 2.8% growth during that same continuum of time, indicating a transition to a more favorable position regarding sales.
Collectively, India and China account for nearly 74% of all OnePlus shipments; however, both countries are experiencing considerable challenges. In India, the estimated number of retail locations for OnePlus is at approximately 4,500 (in 6 states) no longer offering OnePlus products due to marginal profit margins.
At the same time, OnePlus saw a market share reduction from 2% to 1.6% of the total smartphone market in China (2024), below the internal company’s objective.
What This Means for Existing Users
For the current OnePlus customer base, there should be some level of reassurance, as Oppo has indicated that current customers will continue to receive security updates and ongoing warranty services, which will ensure device support in spite of uncertainty associated with the future of OnePlus as a brand.
As this narrative continues, it is merely one additional element in a continuing number of updates regarding the recent technology in India, illustrating that no matter how renowned a brand is, it can still be impacted by the competitive landscape of smartphones. XDA Developers has contacted OnePlus for an official reply and plans to update readers if more information becomes available.
