In this article, we’ll go over the key reasons why we are not excited about the upcoming OnePlus 10 and why you might want to look elsewhere if you’re in the market to buy a new phone.
1. OnePlus Is No Longer a Flagship Killer
OnePlus popularized the iconic term “flagship killer,” so much so that the tech industry now uses it regularly. It conveyed how OnePlus smartphones were as good as its competitors’ flagships but at a fraction of the cost. And while that claim held true for years, its validity has started to rust.
In the last few years, OnePlus has transitioned from offering flagship killers to actual flagships, i.e., it has become the very thing it swore to destroy. The company’s last few flagship devices have cost anywhere between $700-$1000 or more at launch.
We don’t think that OnePlus suddenly started making bad phones. In fact, from a business perspective, its evolution makes perfect sense. After all, being an enthusiast brand is not a sustainable business model because you’re catering to a very niche market.
We are saying that the brand messaging that OnePlus built its fanbase on is no longer a good representation of its current values. For instance, having a headphone jack is something enthusiasts really admire. But if removing it and selling TWS earbuds makes more money, OnePlus is happy to do that—as it did.
2. Nord Is Stealing the Spotlight
The OnePlus Nord series has picked up quite a lot of popularity among OnePlus fans. The same fans who used to buy the company’s flagships a few years back now find themselves wanting to buy its mid-range offerings.
This is not a coincidence. OnePlus is well aware that it hasn’t been paying enough attention to its loyal fans in the pursuit of making better and premium flagships. Nord is the answer to that question. In many ways, it’s a much better representation of the company’s older values, given its value for money proposition.
Now, this would be all fine and dandy if this focus shift was balanced. Nord’s incredible success can mean OnePlus flagships are losing their appeal. While we don’t have any concrete sales numbers for you to compare, it is clear from Pete Lau’s words in his exclusive interview with Forbes that Nord will be OnePlus’ primary focus for the next few years. As he said:
3. OxygenOS Is Dying
Earlier this year, Pete Lau announced the company’s plans to merge with Oppo. In a post on the OnePlus forums he said:
The most immediate problem with this merger is how OnePlus phones will continue to borrow more and more UI elements from Oppo’s ColorOS skin. This is terrible news because OnePlus’ minimalistic and clean OxygenOS software was a big reason for its success.
On top of that, the actual migration to ColorOS isn’t going well either. As you can see from the tweet above, on Twitter you’ll find people continually report problems with their OnePlus devices after installing the OxygenOS 12 update, such as slower Wi-Fi speeds, poor animations, lackluster UI, missing features, and trouble with calling.
OnePlus Is Treading on Thin Ice
Companies evolve over time, and that’s okay. But what’s not okay is you having to deal with the problems you never signed up for. It seems the team behind OnePlus has been focusing more of its efforts on Oppo’s operations—neglecting loyal OnePlus fans in the process.
No other Chinese brand has as good a hold on the American market as OnePlus does. But if OnePlus doesn’t do any damage control soon, that could change quickly. The wisest decision right now would be to fix the software issues people have been facing to limit the increasing negative impressions about the OnePlus brand.
