The two companies OPPO and OnePlus are preparing to leave the European market, including France, Germany or the United Kingdom. Brands would not be able to settle in an ultra-competitive market crushed by inflation and current geopolitical tensions.
Update 3:20 p.m.: After contacting them, the brand finally denied the rumors via email to Tom’s Guide : « OPPO and OnePlus engage in all existing European markets and the UK. We are off to a great start in 2023 with successful launches of several products in Europe and have a range of products to come for the rest of the year. As always, OPPO and OnePlus will continue to provide more innovative products and best-in-class service to users in the future. said James Paterson, global head of public relations at OnePlus.
Oppo and OnePlus have been struggling in Europe for quite some time now, but a patent dispute with Nokia that prevented the companies from advertising their products in Germany didn’t help. Combined with a shrinking smartphone market, the outlook isn’t bright for either company, even though both offer some of the best Android phones on the market.
According to several reports, it seems that the two entities belonging to BBK Electronics are now preparing their complete exit from most if not all European markets, including France.
Why are OnePlus and Oppo likely to leave France?
The Chinese publication 36Kr reports that Oppo is preparing to leave Germany and the United Kingdom. She quotes people familiar with the matter, saying that while there is interest in Oppo devices in Europe, the company’s return on investment is not high enough.
The company is essentially operating at a loss: in the past, this made sense for Oppo, as a slow approach to European markets offered hope for long-term gains. However, growing concerns about inflation, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the shrinking smartphone market seem to have changed the company’s mind.
Leaker Max Jambor reports that OnePlus is also preparing to leave Europe. According to him, the two companies will begin their retreat with France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. It looks like both brands will stay in Spain, Switzerland, Italy and a few other European markets for now, but that could change in the long run.
Vivo, from the same group, does not seem to be affected by the decision at the moment, as the company recently presented its latest flagship phone, the Vivo X90 Pro. Oppo launched the Find N2 Flip in Europe just a few months ago, and OnePlus has also made its flagship OnePlus 11 available in the region.
