Oppo and OnePlus reportedly set to leave parts of Europe and the UK; OnePlus denies

Ben Schoon | Mar 27 2023 - 5:28 am PT

Oppo and OnePlus may stop selling smartphones and other devices in some major markets in Europe.

Reported by 36 Krypton today, sources “close to the matter” say that Oppo and OnePlus are planning to leave parts of Europe including the UK and Germany. This comes down to a number of factors, which reportedly include firstly the downturn of smartphone sales within the region.

In Europe, smartphone shipments as a whole dropped 17% in 2022, and year-over-year Oppo’s shipments in Europe dropped by 39% in Q4 2022 alone. Part of that struggle is attributed to how the market in some of these countries works. The UK is highlighted as an example, where operator (carrier) sales dominate the market much like in the United States.

Another major issue Oppo and OnePlus face in Europe is patent disputes. Both brands already had to stop sales in Germany last year following a lawsuit. The same dispute applies in Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the UK, but none of those countries have issued a ban on devices as a result.

On Twitter, leaked Max Jambor backed up the original report, saying that Oppo and OnePlus would be “pulling out of Europe” starting with Germany, the UK, France, and the Netherlands.

I can confirm: OPPO and OnePlus are pulling out of Europe. First to leave are Germany, UK, France and Netherlands.
— Max Jambor (@MaxJmb) March 27, 2023

However, OnePlus has since come out to deny these reports. In a statement to The Verge, OnePlus said that it “maintains stable operations” in Europe and the UK and that it will “continue to invest in Europe.” Oppo, however, has yet to provide any statement on the matter.

OnePlus will not exit from Europe and the UK and maintains stable operations in local markets. OnePlus will continue to invest in Europe and provide more innovative product and solutions for its users.

Notably, Oppo just launched the Find X6 series earlier this month, and failed to mention any details of a global launch that does not fit the company’s usual pattern for the Find series. We’d speculate this might be related, but it’s hard to say for certain. OnePlus, meanwhile, is currently gearing up for the launch of the OnePlus Pad, which is confirmed to launch in Europe.