OPPO and OnePlus are exiting UK and other parts of Europe: Reports

2 months ago 111

Adamya Sharma / Android Authority

TL;DR

OPPO and its sub-brands, including OnePlus, are reportedly exiting large parts of Europe. According to reports, the smartphone maker will first exit the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. OPPO has shared a vague statement with Android Authority about the development.

What started with one report from a Chinese publication called 36 Krypton has snowballed into several reports, including some from trusted leakers like Max Jambor and Twitter’s SnoopyTech. What’s the big news? Well, it looks like OPPO and its sub-brands, including OnePlus and possibly Realme, are exiting the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

I can confirm: OPPO and OnePlus are pulling out of Europe. First to leave are Germany, UK, France and Netherlands.

It’s being reported that the company is pulling out of Europe because of the high costs of sales in the region. Although products sell in European countries, the return on investment is not high. Quoting a source close to the matter, 36Krypton reports that OPPO’s European business is bleeding (machine translated).

Q4 2022 European Smartphone Shipments Share 2

Adamya Sharma / Android Authority

Macroeconomic reasons are also to blame for OPPO’s alleged withdrawal from the EU. The Russia-Ukraine war and rising inflation have led to plummeting consumption power in Europe. Counterpoint Research states 2022 was the worst year for smartphone shipments in Europe. OPPO’s shipments in Europe dropped 39% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2022.

What does OPPO have to say?

OPPO gave the following statement to 36Krypton:

The current smartphone industry is relatively not in an era of expansion, and our key markets will be adjusted and tilted periodically, but our focus on the European market is firm, and in the future we will also be accurate, Efficient investment in key markets. In the past February 15, we released the international version of OPPO Find N2 Flip in London, England; on February 27, we brought a variety of products and technologies to the Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.

We also contacted the company and got a similar vague reply. A spokesperson told us that the firm is happy with the launch of the Find N2 Flip in the European market. The rest of their statement reads as follows:

The European market has always been one of our key markets. We have made a good start in the European market in 2023, and our business in Europe is as usual. With the successful launch of Find N2 Flip in London and the presentation of our latest technologies and products at MWC 2023, OPPO will continue to focus on user needs and provide more innovative products and services.

This is neither a denial nor a confirmation of OPPO’s exit from Europe. The company recently launched the Find X6 series in China and made it emphatically clear that the flagships won’t be stepping outside of its home country. The move was probably a precursor to pulling out of Europe altogether.

OPPO has also had some legal trouble in Europe in the recent past. A patent infringement lawsuit brought on by Nokia resulted in OnePlus phones being banned from Germany.

With OPPO out, the European market is now left with Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Google, and Motorola as the smartphone vendors in the region. Of these, the competition is limited to Samsung and Xiaomi in the Android smartphone market, as they have the most significant market share.

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