Oppo And OnePlus Forced To Deny They Are Pulling Out Of Europe After Exit Rumours
© OnePlus OnePlus 11Smartphone makers Oppo and OnePlus have denied reports that they are on the verge of ending sales in the UK, France and the Netherlands, having previously abandoned sales in Germany.
On Monday morning, rumors surfaced that the company would stop selling its devices in parts of Europe. Both brands are owned by the Chinese conglomerate BBK Electronics Corporation, which is also the parent company of Realme. However, they said they are committed to Europe and the UK and will continue to work in the region.
OnePlus told the Evening Standard, “OnePlus will not leave Europe and the UK and will maintain a stable performance in the local market. OnePlus will continue to invest in Europe and bring more innovative products and solutions to its users."
Oppo stated that it is “committed to all existing European markets. We have had a great start to 2023 with several successful product launches in Europe and we have a number of products ahead of us before the end of the year.”
The company added, "As always, Oppo will continue to provide users with more innovative products and superior services in the future."
Liquor Max Jambore tweeted on Monday morning: “I can confirm: OPPO and OnePlus are leaving Europe. Germany, the UK, France and the Netherlands will be the first to leave,” added Jambore, “for now, only the countries listed. will be closed. Not all of Europe.
Both Oppo and OnePlus ended sales in Germany last August after losing a patent battle with Finnish telecommunications company Nokia. Nokia accused the company of using its own technology to process 4G and 5G signals without paying for licenses. He received an injunction from a German court to suspend sales of the two brands.
At the time, Oppo said it was targeting the European market and would locate its European headquarters outside of Germany.
OnePlus, known for producing flagship Android phones at competitive prices, has been integrated into Oppo as a sub-brand in 2021.
Both companies launched high-profile devices in the UK this year. Oppo has launched the Find N2 Flip, a rival to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the company's first foldable device available outside of China. Meanwhile, OnePlus has launched its first tablet and the new OnePlus 11 5G flagship.
Leaving Europe would be a major blow to device owners and further solidify Apple and Samsung's dominance in the region.
The rumors come at a turbulent time for the entire smartphone industry. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments in the fourth quarter of 2022 were down 18.3% year-on-year to 300.3 million units. During this period, Apple accounted for 24.1% of shipments and Samsung for 19.4%. Oppo is in fourth place with 8.4% of the smartphone market.
This decline was the largest on record in a single quarter, resulting in a sharp 11.3% year-over-year decline. In 2022, 1.21 billion units were shipped, the lowest annual figure since 2013.
Smartphone makers are grappling with supply chain issues and falling consumer demand amid a cost-of-living crisis. Due to the high price of new phones, people keep their phones longer or buy used phones online.
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