Rumours that OnePlus could be about to scale back its global smartphone operations have been swirling for months, following a significant slump in sales. And now a new report has sparked speculation that the company may be about to withdraw from a number of global markets entirely.
On 24 March, 9to5Google reported that OnePlus would “cease operations in certain regions” including in “swathes of Europe”, potentially as early as April. Citing a source familiar with the matter, 9to5Google claims some staff have already been informed of the plans, with severance packages issued ahead of a possible withdrawal.
Fortune today also reported that OnePlus India’s CEO Robin Liu has stepped down from his role to “pursue personal passions”. While OnePlus said its India operations will continue as normal, the timing is only adding fuel to the fire.
The Independent has reached out to OnePlus for comment.
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OnePlus has been gradually integrating its operations more closely with parent company Oppo in recent years. While the two companies still operate separately as two distinct brands, we’ve begun to see their teams merge.
In 2021, OnePlus formally integrated its research and development teams with Oppo, and OnePlus’s OxygenOS is now being built on the same underlying code as Oppo’s ColorOS, with the two mobile operating systems feeling increasingly alike.
If OnePlus does end up leaving the European market, what will that mean for those of you who own a OnePlus phone, or for those who’ve just bought the latest OnePlus 15 handset?
While it’s unclear for now, it’s highly unlikely your phone is suddenly going to stop working overnight. Looking at how similar situations have played out in the past can give us a rough idea of what to expect.
LG is the best example of this. In 2021, the South Korean brand stopped selling and manufacturing phones worldwide. But the company committed to offering Android updates for up to three years for certain devices after shutting down.
OnePlus would arguably be in a stronger position here as it still has parent company Oppo to fall back on, which means it could continue software support and aftersale services, even if it pulls back its presence in Europe.
Oppo, meanwhile, continues to push ahead with new flagship launches, with the Oppo Find X9 Ultra expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
