OnePlus has confirmed what industry observers have long expected: it’s quitting the US and European markets, and will no longer launch new products in either region. Parent company Oppo promises that it will honor existing support and warranty agreements, with devices transitioning to its ColorOS for future updates.
“Software updates and after-sale support will be guaranteed” in both the US and Europe, Oppo’s senior PR manager in Europe, James Paterson, told The Verge in a call. The company wouldn’t confirm any specifics on how it will honor its warranty and support agreements in the US, where it will now have no presence at all. In Europe, Oppo itself will continue to sell phones and other products.
In order to provide owners with software support, devices will be transitioned from OnePlus’ OxygenOS to Oppo’s ColorOS “in the coming months,” according to Paterson. Oppo Europe CEO Elvis Zhou added that owners will have the option to roll back to OxygenOS if they prefer, though this will presumably mean giving up on future updates. I’d recommend taking the leap: Outside of Google’s Pixel phones, ColorOS is my preferred Android skin nowadays, and the differences between it and OxygenOS are mostly aesthetic.
As for OnePlus, Zhou repeatedly declined to comment on which markets the company is still operating in, let alone will be in the future. This week Bloomberg reported that by next year OnePlus will leave India and every other remaining market except for China. In a statement sent to The Verge following Bloomberg’s report, Oppo PR representative Nicole Okpokiri confirmed only that “OnePlus’ product roadmap in China remains unchanged,” which doesn’t fill me with confidence.
As part of the same statement, Okpokiri confirmed that Oppo’s other sub-brand Realme will also be undergoing restructuring. It “will focus on overseas markets and no longer launch new products in China.”
When asked about job losses related to OnePlus’ contraction, Zhou would only confirm that it was handled “in full accordance with the relevant laws and regulations,” and that some employees were given the choice to move to jobs within Oppo. He would not comment on how many employees were offered the choice to stay, or how many left.
OnePlus is still gearing up for the release of its next flagship phone, the OnePlus 16, though it’s now unclear whether that will launch outside China. Next for Oppo will be its own flagship line, the Find X10 series, though rumors also suggest it’s working on a wide foldable phone to match the format that both Samsung and Apple are expected to adopt this year.