GoKawiilOnePlus has confirmed that it will no longer operate in North America or Europe, and won't launch any further phones in the regions following 2025's OnePlus 15.
OnePlus merged some of its operations with parent company Oppo in 2021, and going forward, all operations will now fall under the Oppo brand. OnePlus will continue operating in China, while Realme, another Oppo sub-brand, will exit the Chinese market but continue selling devices overseas.
"This was neither a case of Oppo instructing OnePlus nor a unilateral decision made by OnePlus," a OnePlus spokesperson said in a briefing. "Together with Oppo, we spend a long time carefully evaluating what our users need from us most in 2026, because our users are at the heart of everything we do."
The new strategy will better meet people's needs by "letting the OnePlus spirit and capabilities continue through Oppo," added the spokesperson.
It's a tricky time for smartphone brands, with a combination of limited memory supply and record-high memory prices forcing phone-makers to increase prices across the board. Global smartphone shipments decreased year over year in the first quarter of 2026, according to IDC, breaking the growth streak the market had seen since mid-2023. This week, Counterpoint Research released data suggesting that smartphone shipments had fallen to the lowest level since 2013.
Despite these pressures, most smartphone brands have managed to navigate the market successfully so far. Still, casualties aren't surprising, and OnePlus is the first major one under Oppo's restructuring
OnePlus was founded in China in 2013 by Pete Lau and Carl Pei, and quickly grew a cult following with its limited-edition drops and maverick marketing strategy. It built a reputation for building high-quality phones that undercut competitor devices on price. Pei left the company in 2020 and moved to London. There, he founded tech startup Nothing, whose smartphones have developed a cult following, too.
We've been a fan of OnePlus phones over the years. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
"OnePlus appears to have lost the clarity that originally made it successful," said Paolo Pescatore, analyst at PP Foresight. "It built its reputation as a disruptive 'flagship killer,' but higher prices, a broader portfolio and closer integration with Oppo left it looking increasingly like another premium Android brand in an already crowded market."
It's much harder and more expensive to stand out now than it once was due to supply chain pressures, rising marketing costs, regulatory requirements, software support, retail presence and after-sales service, added Pescatore. In Europe, OnePlus struggled due to fragmentation and an intensely competitive environment, whereas in the US, its lack of carrier relationships and retail visibility prevented it from gaining mainstream traction.
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