Tech fans' fav OnePlus to pull out of US, Europe

OnePlus, a consumer electronics brand that gained a loyal following with its lineup of aggressively priced Android smartphones, will begin to cease operations in the US and Europe.The move will happen as early as this week, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The change is happening as part of a larger restructuring to parent company Oppo, or Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Ltd., said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing a private plan.Realme, another of Oppo’s mobile businesses, will also exit the China market.

While OnePlus will remain active in China, the brand’s shutdown is planned to expand to the rest of the world, including in India, at some point in 2027.A spokesperson representing Oppo and OnePlus declined to comment.Oppo is making the moves in light of financial challenges in its phone businesses and a lack of momentum in the US, Europe and India.

There are also geopolitical concerns related to the Chinese brand selling phones in the US and an Apple Inc. lawsuit related to trade secrets.As part of the changes, Oppo will focus its efforts on Central Europe and on selling Realme devices in the Nordic region, which includes Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland.

Oppo has had more success there.Once a buzzy upstart that earned the adoration of technology fans and Android enthusiasts, OnePlus’ influence in the smartphone market has significantly waned in recent years.

In the US, Apple and Samsung Electronics Co. continue to dominate market share, while OnePlus lags far behind smaller contenders like Lenovo Group Ltd.’s Motorola and Alphabet Inc.’s Google.Oppo has fared better in China, trailing market leaders Huawei Technologies Co. and Apple.

But the surging cost of memory and phone prices has led to a slowdown in smartphone sales.

Handset shipments in China fell 4.3% in the second quarter compared with the year-earlier period, IDC ⁠said Tuesday.The component shortage has also made it more challenging for phone makers to develop low-cost models, which had been a focus of OnePlus’ “Nord” lineup.Early OnePlus handsets earned positive reviews for their blend of solid performance, uncluttered software and budget pricing.

The company’s most recent high-end device, the OnePlus 15, had a rocky US introduction that was delayed due to last year’s government shutdown. ...