‘It wasn't a decision made in a rush’: OnePlus explains why it’s just quit the US and Europe

OnePlus has confirmed that it's quitting the US and Europe

No new OnePlus products will be launched in either region

Existing customers will continue to get promised support and software updates

The news everyone has been fearing but also expecting has been confirmed by OnePlus — the phone giant is officially quitting the US and Europe, which means no new products will be launched in either region.

The writing has been on the wall for the Android pioneer in both regions for months. OnePlus canceled two of its most-anticipated phones in January and in recent weeks its website has pushed buyers towards its parent company, Oppo.

Oppo's Head of Global PR, Shuang Chen, confirmed in a briefing that all rights for existing customers "including after-sales support and software updates" will "remain fully guaranteed".

But what else does this bombshell news mean on a sad day for Android? We asked OnePlus and its parent company Oppo — here's everything you need to know.

1. Why is this happening?

The official line on OnePlus leaving the US and Europe is that it's a "strategic" shift.

But behind the corporate lingo, the the reality is that OnePlus has been caught in a pincer movement between a diminishing enthusiast phone market, huge competition from rival Chinese brands, the increasingly dominant established duo of Samsung and Apple, and (in the US) difficulties in maintaining all-important carrier relationships. Oh, and the small matter of a global RAM and components crisis.

"It wasn't a decision made in a rush," explained Oppo's Shuang Chen in a briefing. "This was neither a case of Oppo instructing OnePlus nor a unilateral decision by OnePlus. Being a responsible brand means knowing when to go all in and when to make a choice."

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Sadly for OnePlus fans, that choice has felt inevitable for some time.

2. What does this mean for OnePlus owners?

Oppo Europe's Senior PR Manager James Paterson confirmed in a briefing that "all service commitments for existing OnePlus devices in Europe and North America remain unchanged". That applies to warranties, after-sales support and promised software updates, but the company also didn't provide any specifics on how this will happen.

But this news also means that OnePlus owners will now get ColorOS, rather than OnePlus' OxygenOS. "We're confident as Color OS rolls out to OnePlus devices in North America and Europe in the coming months, users will love it just as they've loved Oxygen OS," James Paterson added.

That remains to be seen. But we're certainly fans of ColorOS, calling it the "most performant and smoothest-running Android wrapper" we've ever used in our Oppo Find X9 Pro review, even if it is very much inspired by iOS. It'll apparently still be possible to go back to OxygenOS on your OnePlus device, but that could rule you out of future updates. ColorOS is, naturally, very much the priority for Oppo.

3. Will Oppo take the place of OnePlus?

Yes, that's the plan in Europe, at least. When asked about any potential launches in the US, Elvis Zhou (CEO of Oppo Europe) confirmed: "Currently we do not have any product plans for North America, but Oppo continues to explore market opportunities at different regions across the globe."

It's a different story in Europe, though. "I'm pleased to say that Europe is a really strategically important market for Oppo, so it's been amazing to see how Find X9 Ultra launched, and also the recently launched Reno 16 series," Oppo's James Paterson added.

Fortunately, it should be much easier to buy Oppo phones in the UK and Europe in the near future too, which hasn't always been the case. "Moving forward, Oppo will increase our input in the European markets. For instance, we are now enhancing our teams and also adjusting our business strategies, and we're going to focus more on our flagship series with the importance on our support imaging capabilities," said Oppo's Elvis Zhou.

4. Is this the end for OnePlus phones?

Not exactly — the OnePlus 16 and 16 Pro or Ultra are still heavily rumored and are expected to launch later this year. But they now definitely won't land in the US or Europe.

It might still be possible to import those phones from China, but that process can be a complex one with potential issues around software compatibility, frequency bands and unexpected import taxes.

If you still want to buy a OnePlus phone in the US or Europe, Oppo confirmed that it will still be selling existing phones while stocks last. "We still see demands from the market, so we'll continue to sell where we still have inventory in those markets," said Oppo's Elvis Zhou.

5. Where should OnePlus fans go next?

Today's OnePlus news is a sad day for Android as a whole. That's particularly the case in the US, with Oppo confirming that it won't be launching any of its phones there to take the place of OnePlus.

"Yes, it is regretful that we won't launch new products in North America, but we will ensure that all user rights and interests, including the product updates and after-sales services and relevant services, will be fully guaranteed. I'm sure there are other excellent products out there in the market for the consumers to choose from," said Oppo's Elvis Zhou.

So what are those products? The obvious spiritual equivalent brand to OnePlus right now is Nothing, founded by former OnePlus CEO Carl Pei, though models like the Nothing Phone (4a) sit more towards the budget end.

If you're in Europe, there's also the Oppo Find X9 Ultra, which sadly isn't isn’t available in the US, but is probably the world's best camera phone. It's a similar story with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, another camera-focused phone that's available in Europe but not the US, and the Honor.

Android fans who are looking to upgrade soon will no doubt be waiting to see what Google delivers with its Pixel 11 series, which launches on August 12. And could the demise of OnePlus even push some people towards the iPhone? It's certainly possible, but we'd like to hear from you in the poll below — if you had to choose one brand to switch to from OnePlus, which would it be?

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Mark is TechRadar's Senior news editor. Having worked in tech journalism for a ludicrous 17 years, Mark is now attempting to break the world record for the number of camera bags hoarded by one person. He was previously Cameras Editor at both TechRadar and Trusted Reviews, Acting editor on Stuff.tv, as well as Features editor and Reviews editor on Stuff magazine. As a freelancer, he's contributed to titles including The Sunday Times, FourFourTwo and Arena. And in a former life, he also won The Daily Telegraph's Young Sportswriter of the Year. But that was before he discovered the strange joys of getting up at 4am for a photo shoot in London's Square Mile.