Rise and Fall of the OnePlus
OnePlus is a smartphone brand that started with a bang in 2014, but has since lost its edge and identity. What happened to the company that once claimed to make flagship killers? How did it go from being a fan favorite to a struggling player in the market? In this blog, we will explore the rise and fall of OnePlus, and what the future holds for it.
The Rise of OnePlus
OnePlus was founded by two former OPPO employees, Pete Lau and Carl Pei, who wanted to create a smartphone that ticked off every box for Android enthusiasts. They envisioned a phone that had a great design, powerful specs, fast and lean software, and a low price. They called it the OnePlus One, and it was a huge success.
The OnePlus One launched in 2014 with the tagline “Never Settle“. It had a 5.5-inch display, a Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, 16GB or 64GB of internal storage, a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera, and a 3,100mAh battery. It ran on Cyanogen OS, a fork of the popular custom ROM CyanogenMod, which offered a lot of customization and developer-friendly features. The best part was the price: the OnePlus One started at just $299, which was incredibly cheap for a flagship-level device at the time.
The OnePlus One was sold through an invite system, which created a lot of buzz and hype for the device. Users had to get a unique code from someone who already bought the phone, or from OnePlus’ social media campaigns, to be able to purchase the phone online. This helped OnePlus balance the supply and demand, as well as build a loyal fan base that felt exclusive and privileged.
OnePlus followed up the OnePlus One with the OnePlus 2 in 2015, which introduced Oxygen OS, a new custom skin based on stock Android. The OnePlus 2 also had a metal unibody design, a fingerprint scanner, an alert slider, and a slightly bigger battery of 3,300mAh. It had a Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM, and either 16GB or 64GB of internal storage. It also had a dual-camera setup on the back, with a 13MP main sensor and a 5MP depth sensor. The OnePlus 2 started at $329, which was still very affordable for a flagship device.
OnePlus continued to release flagship killers every year, with incremental upgrades and improvements. The OnePlus 3 and 3T in 2016, the OnePlus 5 and 5T in 2017, the OnePlus 6 and 6T in 2018, and the OnePlus 7 and 7T in 2019. All of these devices had similar features: AMOLED displays, Snapdragon processors, Oxygen OS, fast charging, and dual or triple cameras. They also maintained a relatively low price range, between $400 and $600, which made them very competitive and attractive to consumers who wanted a high-end phone without breaking the bank.
OnePlus also expanded its global presence, entering new markets like the US, India, Europe, and China. It partnered with carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon, and retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, to make its phones more accessible and visible. It also built a strong community of fans and users, who gave feedback and suggestions to the company, and participated in various events and contests. OnePlus was on a roll, and it seemed like nothing could stop it.
The Fall of OnePlus
However, things started to change in 2020, when OnePlus launched its first premium flagship device, the OnePlus 8 Pro. The OnePlus 8 Pro had a 6.78-inch QHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB or 12GB of RAM, 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, a quad-camera setup on the back, with a 48MP main sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide sensor, an 8MP telephoto sensor, and a 5MP color filter sensor, a 16MP front camera, and a 4,510mAh battery with wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. It also had an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, and support for 5G connectivity. The OnePlus 8 Pro was a beast of a phone, but it also came with a beast of a price: it started at $899, which was a huge jump from the previous OnePlus devices.
The OnePlus 8 Pro was a clear attempt by OnePlus to enter the premium flagship segment, and compete with the likes of Samsung, Apple, and Huawei. However, this also meant that OnePlus was abandoning its core philosophy of making flagship killers, and alienating its loyal fan base who loved the company for its value-for-money proposition. Many OnePlus fans felt betrayed and disappointed by the company’s decision to go premium, and questioned its motto of “Never Settle”.
OnePlus tried to appease its fans by launching a more affordable device, the OnePlus Nord, in 2020. The OnePlus Nord had a 6.44-inch FHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 765G processor, 6GB, 8GB, or 12GB of RAM, 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB of internal storage, a quad-camera setup on the back, with a 48MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro sensor, a dual-camera setup on the front, with a 32MP main sensor and an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 4,115mAh battery with fast charging. It also had support for 5G connectivity. The OnePlus Nord started at $399, which was a very reasonable price for a mid-range device.
The OnePlus Nord was a success, and it spawned a series of Nord devices, such as the Nord N10, Nord N100, Nord CE, and Nord 2. However, these devices also diluted the OnePlus brand, and made it lose its identity and differentiation. The Nord devices were not very different from other mid-range devices in the market, and they did not offer anything unique or innovative. They also had some issues with the software updates, security patches, and bugs, which tarnished the reputation of OnePlus for its software quality and support.
OnePlus also faced a lot of competition from other smartphone brands, especially in the emerging markets like India and China, where OnePlus had a strong presence. Brands like Xiaomi, Realme, Vivo, and Oppo offered similar or better devices at lower prices, and captured a large share of the market. OnePlus also had to deal with the US-China trade war, which affected its supply chain and sales. OnePlus also had some controversies, such as the data breach in 2019, the color filter camera privacy issue in 2020, and the throttling scandal in 2021, which damaged its trust and credibility among the consumers.
OnePlus also underwent some major changes in its leadership and structure, which affected its vision and direction. In 2020, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei left the company to start his own venture, Nothing. In 2021, OnePlus announced that it would merge with its sister company, Oppo, and integrate its hardware, software, and resources. This raised a lot of questions and concerns about the future of OnePlus, and whether it would retain its independence and identity, or become a sub-brand of Oppo.
The Future of OnePlus
OnePlus is at a crossroads, and it needs to decide what it wants to be and where it wants to go. It can either continue to pursue the premium flagship segment, and try to compete with the established players, or it can go back to its roots and focus on the value-for-money segment, and try to regain its fan base. It can either stick to its Oxygen OS, and try to maintain its software quality and support, or it can adopt the Color OS of Oppo, and try to leverage its features and integration. It can either remain independent and unique, or become a part of Oppo and lose its identity.
Whatever OnePlus decides to do, it needs to do it fast and well. The smartphone market is very dynamic and competitive, and it does not wait for anyone. OnePlus needs to find its niche and differentiation, and deliver on its promise of “Never Settle”. Otherwise, it risks becoming irrelevant and forgotten, and losing its place in the history of smartphones.
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