OnePlus is reportedly looking to introduce new phones in the sub-Rs. 20,000 segment. These phones are likely to launch in the Indian market in the future. A tentative launch timeline of next quarter to sometime in Q2 2022 has been tipped. Oppo is said to be ‘dictating the terms’ to OnePlus after its merger. OnePlus recently also announced that it is merging its OxygenOS with Oppo’s ColorOS “to improve efficiency and standardise the software experience” across devices.
Data engineer and freelance journalist Yogesh Brar has tweeted that OnePlus is looking to introduce smartphones in the sub-Rs. 20K segment. Currently, all the phones in the affordable Nord range in the Indian market are priced above Rs. 20,000, but more aggressively priced phones are reported to be in the offing. Brar says, “Oppo has always been linked to OnePlus one way or the other. But now they are dictating the terms. OnePlus is going through a shift, and sub 20k phones for India are on the cards.” He alleges that these phones may launch as early as next quarter or even be delayed to Q2 2022. A defined timeline is not known for now.
OnePlus entered the smartphone segment with flagship phones and gained immense goodwill in the premium bracket. Last year, OnePlus branched out with its Nord range by introducing budget-friendly phones – a strategy it did not adopt for years. Brar says that even the new sub-Rs. 20,000 phones will be introduced with the Nord branding. The company has introduced ultra-affordable phones like the recent OnePlus Nord N200 5G in markets like US and Canada, but these models haven’t been brought to India yet.
If Brar’s intel holds any legitimacy, then similar phones may be launched in the Indian market as well, in addition to other global markets. The Indian smartphone segment is filled with budget phones from Samsung, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and other Indian brands. It remains to be seen whether the addition of OnePlus in this congested segment shake things up or not.
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