OnePlus, the ‘Flagship-Killer’ Smartphone Brand, Is All but Dead
But OnePlus’ exit comes at a time when smartphone shipments are showing steep declines due to the ongoing memory crisis—the lack of RAM, eaten up by data centers for the AI boom, has caused a global shortage. Research firm Counterpoint on Monday noted an 11 percent year-over-year decline in global smartphone shipments in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest level in that period in 13 years. Two companies saw growth—Apple and Samsung—whereas competitors like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo saw the sharpest declines. (Vivo is a part of the same conglomerate, BBK Electronics, that owns Oppo, OnePlus, and Realme.)
Last year, at the onset of president Donald Trump’s tariff war, OnePlus dramatically increased the price of its then new smartwatch from $330 to $500. In May 2026, the company hiked prices on its latest phonesin India. The company has been dealing with a massive loss...
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