New twist for Oppo subsidiary OnePlus: Contrary to previous rumors that OnePlus could be shut down or stop its European operations, new reports from China suggest that the company is merging with Realme.
This was mentioned, among other things, by “Digital Chat Station” on Chinese microblogging service Weibo: According to the report, “OnePlus and Realme have officially joined forces.” The two smartphone brands of BBK Group, which are themselves subsidiaries of Oppo, are said to be merging their global and domestic operations under a new “sub-product center.”
The new business unit will reportedly be led by current OnePlus China president Li Jie. He will report to OnePlus co-founder Pete Lau, while former Realme vice president Wang Wei will take on the role of deputy general manager.
OnePlus and Realme's marketing and customer service departments are also said to be merged, according to the report. Another report from the Telegram channel "Tech & Leaks Zone” states that the newly formed teams will place additional emphasis on “product line reuse.”
After years of operating independently, OnePlus has been a sub-brand of Oppo for several years, while Realme, also a separate business unit for a while, was integrated into Oppo earlier this year. The merger of the two sub-brands is likely to lead to more efficient management, among other things, to better utilize resources within the Oppo group and reduce costs.
Although the press releases will range from very select to rare, I said I'd pass...because sometimes the editors hide.
