Following OnePlus' reported departure from the US and European markets this week, the brand may also be preparing a full exit from India. It is expected to stick around for a few years before gracefully making its exit as Oppo continues to restructure its India operations.
OnePlus Could Exit India but Will Remain Active in China
After reports suggesting that OnePlus could pull out of the US and European markets surfaced online, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests that the brand seems to be on the chopping block in India as well. While OnePlus will remain active in China, the brand's global shutdown is planned to expand to the rest of the world, including India, sometime in 2027.
According to a person who spoke with Bloomberg, the move is being driven by financial challenges across Oppo's phone business and a lack of momentum in the US, Europe and India.
To top it off, the global RAM crisis has severely impacted smartphone sales, due to which offering value-for-money smartphones has become difficult, which had been the main characteristic of OnePlus.
Besides, the restructuring is also shaping Realme's future, with the Realme OnePlus merger reportedly taking place in India and the brand allegedly being wound down in China.
Moving forward, Oppo plans to focus its efforts on Europe and move Realme smartphones in regions such as Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland.
OnePlus users in countries where the brand is exiting may not need to worry, as reports suggest that OnePlus phones sold in the US and European markets will continue to receive updates throughout their support windows. This could also apply to Realme in India.
Although the updates might not be the same anymore, rumours point to OnePlus and Realme reportedly switching to ColorOS. The fan-revered OxygenOS is being killed, and the same goes for Realme UI. Instead, supported smartphones may soon transition to ColorOS for the next major update.
The death of a highly revered, fan-favourite brand marks a significant shift in the smartphone market in India. While OnePlus did launch the OnePlus 15 in India recently, it has seen many price hikes so far, alongside other smartphones in OnePlus' portfolio. This seemingly made it even harder for Oppo to justify keeping the brand alive in the country, considering its own smartphones aren't selling well either.
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