Story by Bahari Duniya | Written by Ranjan Sharma
In a notable shift in the smartphone industry, reports suggest that Realme and OnePlus, two of the most prominent smartphone brands today, are set to undergo a significant organizational change. According to a report from Lei Feng Network, both brands are expected to operate as sub-brands under Oppo. Moving forward, Realme and OnePlus will adopt distinct market strategies while functioning within Oppo’s broader brand ecosystem.
Additionally, the report indicates that leadership roles for the restructuring have already been finalized. Sky Li, the founder and CEO of Realme, is set to oversee operations across all the sub-brands, while Li Jie will continue to lead OnePlus in China. Oppo has stated that clearly defined internal roles are intended to prevent overlap and improve the execution of distinct strategies for both brands.
As part of this restructuring, Realme will be fully integrated into Oppo’s after-sales service network. This change aims to enhance service coverage across key markets and ensure a smoother experience for customers. For users concerned about Realme’s launch schedule, there’s no need to worry. All upcoming Realme devices, including the highly anticipated Realme GT Neo 8, are expected to launch as planned without any delays.
What’s New With This Move?
With Realme and OnePlus coming under Oppo’s umbrella, the need for separate R&D, after-sales, and logistics teams for each brand will be eliminated. In addition, Oppo is expected to consolidate service networks and engineering resources, a move aimed at reducing costs and addressing the ongoing challenges posed by the global memory chip shortage.
From the user’s perspective, this development may not be entirely favorable. We’ve already witnessed OnePlus aligning OxygenOS closer to ColorOS, and now Realme UI could follow a similar path. Essentially, it may feel like three distinct brands sharing the same underlying system. In conclusion, the perception of choice might soon become more of an illusion than reality for consumers.