What Does OnePlus’s Exit From the US Market Mean for Current Users?
When I first started covering tech, OnePlus was a brand to be reckoned with. It was never a competitor to Apple or Samsung, but that’s precisely what made it superior: the company produced high-quality smartphones with enthusiast features at reasonable prices. I wouldn’t even call it an underdog. It didn’t have a huge market share, but it was a winner in the eyes of the tech community.
Ten years have passed, and the situation has changed dramatically. OnePlus has officially ceased to exist in most of the world , as the company announced it would stop producing new phones for the US and Europe. This change didn’t happen overnight: in recent years, OnePlus gradually moved away from producing enthusiast-oriented phones and began competing with mainstream flagship models at flagship prices. And while the company has achieved some success, the US smartphone market still looks much the same as it did when OnePlus first emerged—all eyes are on Apple and Samsung. Now, the company isn’t just lagging behind in the US: it no longer exists.
If you don’t own a OnePlus device, you might think this won’t affect you much, but that’s not true. Fewer companies in an already limited market means even less competition for Apple and Samsung than before. Google and Motorola are essentially the only two other companies producing Android devices in the US, and who knows what’s in store for them next. But the biggest impact, of course, will be on current OnePlus users. When you own a product from a company that decides to exit the market, uncertainty, confusion, and anxiety arise. If you’re a OnePlus user in the US, here’s what you need to know:
So what should OnePlus users do now?
The good news is that OnePlus isn’t leaving US users stranded. In its ” Business Adjustment Notice ,” the company confirmed that it will continue to support existing devices with software updates, security patches, and after-sales support in accordance with your device’s warranty. Don’t feel like OnePlus is disappearing anytime soon. Your phone will continue to receive updates; you’ll be protected from security vulnerabilities; and OnePlus will service your phone if something happens under warranty.
Perhaps the biggest change will come with the release of Android 17 on OnePlus devices. OnePlus announced that instead of continuing to support its OxygenOS software, it will migrate users with eligible devices to ColorOS, the operating system used by its parent company, Oppo. OnePlus users will not be able to upgrade to ColorOS until the release of ColorOS 17, its own version of Android 17. “Legacy models” that don’t support ColorOS 17 will remain on OxygenOS and will receive software updates, but without new features.
While ColorOS is a separate OS, it’s quite similar to OxygenOS , especially these days. It has a familiar user interface and many of the same features, though different regions use different app distributions —some even call them “bloatware.” ColorOS has never launched on devices intended for the US market, so I can’t say what it will look like for American OnePlus users, but it’s possible ColorOS will add apps and services to your device that aren’t currently available. Therefore, some users may find themselves missing the old OS after upgrading or not wanting to switch at all. Fortunately, OnePlus says users will be able to decline the upgrade or revert to OxygenOS if they don’t like ColorOS.
It’s too early to draw conclusions, so OnePlus still has many questions to answer. I’ll update this post as news becomes available so OnePlus users can continue planning their purchases.