Back in April 2026, reports suggesting that OnePlus and Realme are merging in China surfaced online. Now, Realme CEO Sky Li has put an end to all the speculation with an open letter to fans confirming that the brand's China operations are indeed being restructured, though the company insists it isn't going anywhere.
Realme to Pause Independent China Operations, Focus Shifts to Overseas Markets
In the letter from Realme CEO Sky Li (shared by Realme marketing chief Xu Qi Chase on Weibo), he states that "realme will temporarily pause its independent operations in the Chinese market."
He adds that the decision came after careful consideration, and that going forward, the brand will concentrate its resources on overseas markets, with a stronger focus on performance devices and gaming.
Li was quick to reassure existing users in China that they won't be left out in the cold. After-sales service and warranty support for existing Realme phones will now be fully handled by Oppo's official service team.
The brand has also confirmed that Realme UI will be phased out for ColorOS 17, rather than continuing to maintain Realme UI as a separate skin. thereby
Eligible Realme devices will continue receiving software updates when the next version of ColorOS rolls out. As Li puts it, "We promise that every commitment we have made to our users will continue to be honoured."
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