OnePlus, the ‘Flagship-Killer’ Smartphone Brand, Is All but Dead

Published 16 July 2026 · tech

OnePlus, the “flagship-killer” smartphone company that rose in 2013 to counter the likes of Samsung and Apple, is dead. Sort of. The company, a subsidiary

OnePlus, the “flagship-killer” smartphone company that rose in 2013 to counter the likes of Samsung and Apple, is dead. Sort of. The company, a subsidiary of Oppo—the fourth-largest global smartphone maker—has been laying off staff across various regions over the past few months, with many employees in Europe transitioning to roles at Oppo or Realme, another Oppo mobile subbrand. WIRED has verified these transitions and layoffs by speaking with former OnePlus employees and tracking dozens of LinkedIn updates over the past month; many workers left their roles between March and June of this year. Oppo provided a blanket statement to WIRED when asked for comment: “To further consolidate resources and enhance global product strategy synergy, Realme will focus on overseas markets and no longer launch new products in China.

OnePlus' product roadmap in China remains unchanged. Both Realme and OnePlus will continue to deliver premium gaming and performance experiences to users." Despite layoffs and staffing changes in North America and Europe, Oppo did not confirm whether OnePlus is officially out of the North American and European markets. Its vague statement singling out the Chinese market seems to suggest as much, though what happens to OnePlus' India market is still unclear. Oppo did not respond to WIRED's questions about what will happen to existing OnePlus devices with regards to software updates and servicing. Rumors have circulated that Oppo will replace OnePlus’ OxygenOS interface with Oppo's ColorOS (both are based on Android).

It's unclear if that means a software update will roll out to expunge OxygenOS from existing OnePlus devices. OnePlus did not respond to requests for comment. When asked if OnePlus cofounder Carl Pei, who left in 2020 to start the smartphone company Nothing, would care to comment, a Nothing spokesperson declined. A source, who asked to remain anonymous in order to avoid jeopardizing future employment opportunities, tells WIRED that OnePlus laid them off in April. Their managers were laid off earlier, and the entire New York City office was cut. “This was a kind of ‘from the top’ decision with no input channels for anyone on the team,” the source says.

Oppo did not respond to questions about why it's exiting the North American market. Companies like Huawei and ZTE were famously banned from selling products in the US due to national security concerns and ties to the Chinese government. More recently, the US Federal Communications Commission banned new consumer internet routers manufactured outside the US. That includes devices from prominent Wi-Fi router company TP-Link, which has drawn the ire of several US agencies and even a lawsuit from Texas attorney general Ken Paxton for allegedly “allowing the Chinese Communist Party to access American consumers’ devices.”