Tushar Mehta / Android Authority
Fans may be breathing a sigh of relief that reports of OnePlus preparing to wind down global operations seem to be inaccurate. But even before this rumor, there have been creeping indications that at least some changes are afoot. At the very least, the OnePlus, OPPO, and realme trio appear poised for yet another disruptive reshuffle, and that’s never reassuring. “realme by OPPO” appears to the new name to give its budget segment a shot in the arm, while it’s reported that the OnePlus 15s and Open 2 have been cancelled, a clear sign of belt-tightening if there ever was one.
Something is going on over at BBK headquarters, but you don’t need rumors and insider reports to be a little worried about one of Android’s vintage brands. A quick look at OnePlus’ recent flagships is enough to raise eyebrows alone. OnePlus North America continues to operate, with full guarantee of users’ after-sales support, software updates, and rights commitments. Despite explosive (and often combative) early years carving out a place at the Android table, recent models have more often than not failed to live up to the brand’s feisty reputation. This dichotomy is perfectly summed up by last year’s flagship smartphones: the brilliant OnePlus 13 and far more mediocre OnePlus 15. Two phones, released in the same year by the same company, yet they feel so far apart in execution.
One year, two very different phones
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Flashback to the early months of 2025: the OnePlus 13 landed to almost universal acclaim. The core difference between its predecessor (and successor) was that the OnePlus 13 was finally a flagship with no major compromises. Years of questionable camera performance, missing wireless charging, and underbaked IP ratings were instantly consigned to history.
Fans and pundits felt like the handset was a return to the brand’s early promise — a potent combination of specs and price that lives up to the “Never Settle” mantra that has so often eluded the brand in recent generations.
The aggressive flagship was undoubtedly good enough to take the fight even to Pro Max and Ultra rivals, all while costing substantially less. The OnePlus 13 was exactly what many of us envision the ideal OnePlus phone to be, even with the odd compromise or two. On the other hand, its successor is so stuffed with side-grades and trade-offs that it’s hard to believe it came from the same company just a few months later.
Hints at future OnePlus Pro models miss what can make the brand great.
To be fair, the OnePlus 15 has its charms; the larger battery, 165Hz display, and tougher glass are nice upgrades that perhaps should have landed with a bit more fanfare. However, few would argue they’re worth notably downgraded cameras, a lower pixel density display, cluttered software, and inconsistent performance under stress. Likewise, a similar set of trade-offs sees the affordable OnePlus 15R struggle compared to its predecessor, and the price increase was always going to be contentious. And this was before the major RAM price hikes.
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