Whalesbook
Robin Liu's departure as OnePlus India CEO marks a key moment for the smartphone company, reflecting industry pressures and internal strategy changes. The move comes as OnePlus faces a significant drop in its market position, especially in the premium segment. This situation is forcing a rethink of its sales and product strategies.
Robin Liu, who joined OnePlus in 2018 and helped revive the brand in India, is leaving. Sources say he is serving his notice period. His exit occurs during a wider global restructuring at parent company OPPO. Sky Li, CEO of Realme, has been promoted to oversee multiple sub-brands under OPPO, including OnePlus. This integration aims to improve coordination and efficiency across BBK Electronics brands like OPPO and OnePlus.
OnePlus has seen a dramatic fall in its Indian market share, especially for phones over $500. Its share dropped to 2.4% in 2025 from 3.9% in 2024, a 38.8% decrease. This follows a steeper fall from 21% in 2023 to 6% in 2024, partly due to retailer boycotts and past issues. Once known as a 'flagship killer,' OnePlus now struggles against market leaders. Apple dominates the premium segment, holding a 28% value share in 2025. Samsung remains a strong premium Android rival despite its overall volume share falling to 16% in 2025. Vivo leads the overall Indian market by volume (around 20-23% in late 2025), thanks to its wide range of devices and strong offline sales. The premium segment is growing by 11% annually in 2025, making up 22% of all shipments, showing a clear shift to higher-value phones. Still, OnePlus is losing its footing in this profitable area.
To combat its falling market share and tight margins, OnePlus India has shifted back to an online-focused sales strategy. This aims to cut costs and improve profits. However, the move has upset offline retailers who complain about inconsistent product availability and poor communication. They also worry about supply disruptions and gray market sales. Retail partners warn of financial difficulties as more inventory goes through online channels. Adding to these issues are rising component costs for memory and chipsets. These price increases are forcing price hikes on select OPPO and OnePlus models starting March 2026. This pressure makes it harder to keep prices competitive, especially in the mid-range market.
OnePlus faces significant competitive disadvantages. Its past appeal as a 'flagship killer' is fading as Apple and Samsung strengthen their hold on the premium market. For example, Samsung shows strong financial health with a market cap around $436.39 billion and a P/E ratio of 24.33, a level private BBK entities like OnePlus cannot match publicly. The move to online sales, while intended to save costs, risks alienating many retailers. This could lead to supply chain issues and gray market sales, according to retailer groups. Previous problems, like retailer boycotts over warranties and margins, plus the recurring 'green line' display issue, have also hurt customer trust and brand reliability. Bringing OnePlus closer under OPPO, led by Sky Li, might weaken its unique brand identity and focus, potentially shifting resources away from its core strengths. Higher component costs threaten profitability, forcing price hikes that could reduce demand in a market sensitive to value.
Under OPPO's new strategy and rising costs, OnePlus might focus more on specific market areas and possibly reduce its high-end flagship presence in some regions. The brand reportedly saw growth in India in late 2025 after trying to repair retail relationships, but the wider market faces challenges. India's smartphone market is expected to shrink by mid-single digits in 2026 as higher prices and less innovation delay phone upgrades. Global memory shortages, predicted to last until 2027, will continue to affect pricing and availability. Although the premium segment is growing, OnePlus faces a tough fight to regain market share from major players. It needs a clear, lasting strategy that combines operational efficiency with attractive product value.