OnePlus may be heading into its most serious crisis yet, with multiple reports pointing to a brand that’s being quietly wound down as sales slide and operations shrink across key regions.
An investigation cited by Android Headlines, based on extensive interviews with current and former employees, paints a picture of a company under heavy pressure. The report suggests OnePlus is no longer operating like a growing smartphone maker, but instead like a brand being scaled back piece by piece.
OnePlus phone sales reportedly in sharp decline
The biggest red flag is shipments. OnePlus sales reportedly fell more than 20 percent in 2024, dropping to roughly 13–14 million units, down from around 17 million in 2023. That’s a steep fall for a brand that once relied on momentum, community buzz, and strong value-driven flagship phones to stay relevant.
What makes the decline stand out even more is that OPPO, OnePlus’ parent company, reportedly grew by 2.8 percent during the same period. In other words, the broader group appears to be stabilizing while OnePlus is losing ground—an uncomfortable sign for any sub-brand fighting for investment and resources.
India and China weakness creates a major risk
OnePlus is also reportedly struggling most in the two markets it depends on the most. India and China now account for about 74 percent of OnePlus sales, which means continued weakness there isn’t just a regional problem—it’s an existential one.
In India, OnePlus is said to have taken a major hit in the premium smartphone segment. The report claims the brand’s premium market share has dropped by about 70 percent over the past 12 months. Contributing factors reportedly include razor-thin retailer margins and warranty-related issues, both of which can quickly damage consumer trust and retail enthusiasm in a highly competitive market.
In China, OnePlus’ share is also said to be slipping, moving from around 2 percent down to approximately 1.6 percent by the end of 2024. That may sound small, but in China’s intensely crowded smartphone landscape, even slight dips can become long-term downward trends—especially when rivals are constantly upgrading cameras, batteries, AI features, and ecosystem integration.
US presence reportedly shrinking, carrier support gone
Operational pullbacks add to the concern. OnePlus reportedly shut down its Dallas headquarters, which handled US operations, in March 2024. The brand’s Palo Alto office is said to be down to around 15 employees responsible for all of North America—an unusually small footprint for a company trying to compete in a major market.
The report also notes that OnePlus no longer has a US carrier partnership. Its relationship with T-Mobile ended in 2023, and without a carrier channel, smartphone brands often struggle to gain mainstream traction in the United States. On top of that, the report claims OnePlus’ European presence has effectively vanished, further narrowing its global reach.
Canceled devices and dropped projects raise more questions
Perhaps most telling for fans is the claim that OnePlus is cutting future products. The report says upcoming projects are being scrapped, including the OnePlus Open 2 foldable and a compact model referred to as the 15s. If accurate, these cancellations suggest OnePlus could be retreating from the innovation categories and niche fan-favorite form factors that often drive excitement and brand identity.
Earlier recovery efforts may not have worked
Back in 2022, OPPO reportedly pledged $14 billion to help revive OnePlus, including expanding service support and allowing OnePlus to sell phones at zero profit to regain momentum. According to the report, those measures haven’t delivered a turnaround.
Adding another layer of uncertainty, the post claims Taiwan issued an arrest warrant involving the OnePlus CEO over alleged illegal recruitment activities. While the broader business impact of that claim is unclear, any leadership-related controversy can intensify instability during an already difficult period.
What happens next for OnePlus?
Based on the information outlined in the report, the expectation isn’t that OnePlus disappears overnight. Instead, the more likely scenario is a slow squeeze: fewer markets, fewer products, smaller teams, and less reason for the parent company to keep investing heavily. The report suggests OPPO may no longer be willing to provide additional “resuscitation” support, particularly after other internal brand restructuring.
For consumers, the big takeaway is uncertainty. If OnePlus continues scaling back, future launches—especially a potential OnePlus 16—could become far less likely than in previous years. For existing owners, the most important questions may soon revolve around long-term software updates, service availability, and regional support.
