Shortly after reports emerged of its retreat from the US and European markets, another report claims that OnePlus is pulling back from India too. Not only that, the report further details that this is the first phase of a much wider global withdrawal.
Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg’s Chris Welch and Mark Gurman that the brand is expected to cease operations in India by 2027. The report adds that China would remain the brand’s only active market as part of parent company OPPO‘s larger restructuring.
Several factors reportedly contributed to the decision. According to Bloomberg, OnePlus has been facing financial pressure while struggling to gain momentum in the US, Europe, and India. The report adds that the OPPO sub-brand has found it difficult to compete against more established smartphone makers in those markets.
Geopolitical factors also reportedly played a role. Bloomberg noted that Chinese smartphone brands have come under increased scrutiny in the US in recent years amid ongoing tensions between the US and China.
While OnePlus is reportedly scaling back to its home market, its sister company realme is said to be withdrawing from China. Bloomberg reports that the company will instead focus on the Nordic region, including Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland, where it has reportedly seen strong success. For its part, OPPO will redirect its focus towards Central Europe.
Regarding OnePlus’ presence in India, Gizmochina reports that the alleged withdrawal would not be a surprise. The publication notes that its footprint in the country has been gradually shrinking, with the brand shutting down most of its partner-run offline stores and shifting towards an online-first strategy. It also reportedly merged its after-sales network with OPPO’s. Itβs also worth mentioning that there are reports that OnePlus may merge with realme.
It is worth noting that these details originated from reports based on sources that cannot be independently verified. Although Bloomberg is a reputable source, these claims have yet to be officially confirmed by OnePlus or its affiliated companies. In short, take this information with a grain of salt.
(Source: Bloomberg)