OnePlus exits the U.S. and Europe after the OnePlus 15
CNET reports OnePlus will stop operating in Western markets and fold operations into Oppo, with existing phones still promised software support.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
OnePlus is pulling out of the U.S. and Europe, with the OnePlus 15 set to be the company’s last phone released in those markets, according to CNET.
The move ends a long run for a brand that built its name with Android phones pitched as lower-cost rivals to premium handsets. CNET reports that OnePlus will cease operations in the West and merge its operations with Oppo, its Chinese parent company.
For people who already own a OnePlus phone in the U.S. or Europe, the devices are not being cut loose right away. CNET reports that existing models will continue to receive software support for the period promised when each device launched.
There is one big software change coming, though. CNET reports that users in those markets will be moved from OnePlus’ Oxygen OS to Oppo’s Color OS.
Oppo takes the wheel
Oppo, which makes smartphones and other consumer electronics for global markets, already owns OnePlus. The new plan brings OnePlus operations under Oppo more directly, according to CNET.
No reason for the shutdown of OnePlus operations in the U.S. and Europe has been reported. The decision follows months of signs that the company was rethinking its place in those markets.
German outlet WinFuture, in reporting cited by PCMag, had said OnePlus was expected to stop operations in the U.S. and Europe, with an announcement expected from Oppo. AndroidHeadlines reported in January that OnePlus could be headed for a collapse in those regions.
In April, OnePlus told PCMag it was “evaluating its regional roadmap and product strategy” in North America. CNET’s report now says that process has ended with the brand leaving Western markets.
A familiar Android alternative bows out
OnePlus had developed a following among Android buyers by selling phones with high-end specifications at prices below many flagship competitors. The company’s devices were often positioned against phones from Google and Samsung, two of the biggest Android players in the U.S. market.
The OnePlus 15 now stands as the final OnePlus phone for buyers in the U.S. and Europe, according to CNET. The report does not say whether Oppo plans a different route for selling its own devices in those regions after the OnePlus withdrawal.
The company’s exit removes one of the more recognizable alternatives in the Western Android phone market. For current users, the immediate takeaway is narrower: support is still promised, but the OnePlus software experience is being replaced by Oppo’s Color OS.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.