Back in 2021, Pete Lau revealed that OxygenOS and ColorOS will merge. That meant that OnePlus phones would no longer have a separate software branch from Oppo phones. Now a knowledgeable insider claims that the company will bring things to their logical conclusion – merging Realme UI too.
This way, the three related but previously independent brands will use the same software, ColorOS, which will help reduce R&D costs. But this is only part of a wider consolidation effort.
We’ve already seen that OnePlus Germany is pushing users towards Oppo devices. And almost everything on OnePlus UK is out of stock. The insider claims that OnePlus will focus exclusively on the markets in India and China, so what we’re seeing now is the other branches winding down. Even in those two markets, OnePlus will be closely tied to Oppo – after-sales support for OnePlus users in India is already being handled by Oppo.
Soon to become one: ColorOS • OxygenOS • Realme UI
Meanwhile, Realme will leave China and focus on the overseas markets. We’ve seen reports that OnePlus and Realme are merging, but by the sound of it, India will be the only market where these two brands overlap. Everywhere else it will make little difference whether they are one company or not.
What does that mean for the US market, which has very little variety outside of Apple, Samsung and Motorola? That part is not clear – is Oppo abandoning the market altogether or will it try to popularize Oppo-branded devices? The Oppo brand is unknown in the US (or rather it is forgotten, it used to make DVD and Blu-ray players). But then OnePlus never got above 1% market share in the US, so it is virtually unknown too.
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