OnePlus has released a number of phones with interesting designs and unique features over the past eight years. The alert slider remains a big hardware differentiator for the company, and some of my favorite designs are on OnePlus phones: the OnePlus 6T in Thunder Purple, the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition, and the OnePlus 7 Pro.
OnePlus’ focus on design aesthetics comes from the very top. Co-founder and CEO Pete Lau often talks about how design has become an area of focus for OnePlus, and I vividly remember a conversation before the OnePlus 6 launch.
At the time, OnePlus launched its first red phone, and Liu said he and the design team considered the options for weeks to find a shade that would work with the device.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Ultimately, OnePlus went with a red hue that’s $4 more expensive than other alternatives (no small change when your margins are thin), but the result is a red OnePlus 6 that looks absolutely stunning. It’s this attention to detail in every aspect of the device that endears the company’s power users. But sadly, OnePlus doesn’t do that anymore.
In 2022, OnePlus’ phone portfolio can be summed up in one word: derivative. Instead of launching a distinctive original design, OnePlus is essentially renaming existing OPPO and Realme devices.
This isn’t the first time OnePlus has gone to OPPO for design inspiration. 2017’s OnePlus 5 is nearly identical to the OPPO R11, and OnePlus has always relied on OPPO to manufacture and distribute its phones.
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda/Android Central)
But at the time, hardware similarity wasn’t that important, as OPPO didn’t have a significant global presence outside of a few Asian markets. Also, OnePlus’ efforts with OxygenOS means the software on the two phones is very different.
This will not be the case in 2022. The OnePlus has the same software as its OPPO sibling, and they now share the same design without any meaningful tweaks. This is especially true for the Nord N series – the Nord N20 5G launched a few weeks ago was nothing more than a rebadged OPPO Reno 8 Lite.
Likewise, the Nord CE 2 Lite is a knockoff of the Realme 9 Pro with a less-than-great wide-angle lens, while the Nord CE 2 is a derivative of the Reno 7.
The worst offender is the OnePlus 10R. This device is a parody of the Realme GT Neo 3, and it has the ugliest design of any phone I’ve used this year. I can’t believe the same company that gave us the OnePlus 7T three years ago has such a monster.
(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj/Android Central)
Hardware is only part of the story here. OnePlus had major issues integrating ColorOS with OxygenOS, and those issues were evident on the 10R. The device is prone to lags and glitches, and the Realme GT Neo 3 isn’t – even though they’re essentially the same phone.
What’s clear is that OnePlus doesn’t have the same level of control over its product portfolio under the guidance of OPPO. In my opinion, OnePlus is now a way for BBK to sell phones in North America.
OPPO and Realme don’t sell devices in the region, so it makes sense for BBK to rebrand the two entities’ existing devices and release them under the OnePlus label.
OnePlus is now a way for BBK to sell phones in North America.
As for why this is the case now and not three years ago, it has to do with the numbers. Realme just turned four this week, and the brand has surpassed 100 million in sales. Meanwhile, OnePlus has doubled its history and hasn’t even sold half of its units.
That’s why we’re seeing a lot of momentum in the budget and mid-range Nord series, rather than the focus on the flagship OnePlus 10 series this year.
So if you’re in North America and need a cheap phone, OnePlus is still a good choice, as there are no OPPO, Realme or Xiaomi in the region. But if you’re in a market where OPPO and Realme officially sell phones, you’re better off buying directly from them.
The OnePlus spinoff costs slightly less than its BBK sibling, but it’s not worth the trouble of dealing with buggy software and a lackluster design. OnePlus has made some of the best Android phones ever, but that’s not the case in 2022.