If OnePlus exits, lots of you’ll get an Oppo, and I have the numbers to prove it
With OnePlus pulling away from some markets, we asked the PhoneArena community what brand they would trust next. The results are both surprising and intriguing.
Staple devices like the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 15 are some of the best we’ve seen in recent years, and it would truly suck if they were to be the last of their kind. Honestly, only time can tell, and I’ve spoken at length about that in my most recent article, which you can read here.
In that same article, and a number of related news we’ve published around it, we’ve asked to hear OnePlus’ fans' sentiments. More specifically: what brand would you transition to from OnePlus if it truly becomes unavailable to purchase?
Will you love ColorOS as much as OxygenOS?
Will ColorOS work great on the OnePlus Open? | Image by PhoneArena
Hardware will always be more exciting to talk about, but a lot of the magic happens on an OS level. When we get an unexpected announcement that one established Android fork is basically replacing another fan-favorite, it will be turbulent.
My colleague Johanna covered Oppo’s announcement recently, and it raised so many questions. In my own work, I shared with you the anxiety I have about my OnePlus 13 — if OnePlus goes away, will I get my full update cycle? It’s a scary thought for any OnePlus owner.
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This new announcement admits that ColorOS — Oppo’s own Android fork — will replace OxygenOS in a future update. While this does alleviate some of the stress, since it confirms we won’t be left with high-priced paperweights, it does still raise an important question: did we not all pay for OxygenOS as part of the package?
How do you feel about OxygenOS and Realme UI are reportedly getting axed?
As you can see from the results above, a lot of people got agitated over this, and I can’t blame them. I haven’t used ColorOS anytime soon, but from what I’m seeing online, it’s pretty similar, with some nice extra features on top. That would've been bittersweet if it was the end of the story, however, a core part of what makes OnePlus reliable is the bloat-free experience. ColorOS, on the other hand, often comes with tons of pre-installed apps which I certainly don't want, and I'm sure that you don't either.
Of course, Oppo could do us a solid and just go bloat-free moving forward, but with evident pre-existing deals with third-party app makers still likely holding true, that would be nigh impossible. Furthermore, I’m already used to OxygenOS, and switching my operating system without asking feels like someone forcing my phone to change part of its identity.
I’m in no way doubting Oppo’s prowess — it is evident that the company knows how to handle software. But this switch means that everything from my phone’s battery management to my photos’ post-processing will be different. It might be barely noticeable in some areas, but there’s just no way for it to remain identical, I think (feel free to correct me in the comments if you have more insight).
Moreover, it’s an absolute pain to fine-tune Android for a series of devices. Oppo might have been on this for the last couple of years — we don’t really know. But, just off the top of my head, this would mean fine-tuning ColorOS for:
The OnePlus Nord series: Nord 4, Nord CE 4, Nord 3, Nord CE 3
And I’m not even counting variants like the R or T series, which aren’t available in the west, despite being great phones. I count that as a huge missed opportunity, for the record.
Some of the models listed above have less than two years of software updates left. Would Oppo commit to optimizing its software for older models instead of optimizing it for future releases? I can’t say, but that doesn’t sound like a worthy investment of the company’s time and resources.
I think that OnePlus’ recent flagships like the 13 and 15 might get some special attention, but I doubt the results would be perfect. I am honestly mentally prepared to see a dip in performance, but I’m hoping Oppo surprises me when the next update rolls around.
But I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Nord line or the OnePlus Open get left in the dust when it comes to optimization. To be clear: this won’t be a risk to the phones’ security or feature-set. But it’ll be in the little things. And as a proud owner of a OnePlus 13, I’m already accustomed to a lot of bugs at all times, so I don’t have any reason to set my expectations high.
OnePlus isn’t out — Oppo is in
Unless Nothing acts faster. | Image by PhoneArena
In my article, I talked at length about Nothing’s unique position to replace OnePlus. Carl Pei’s new brand has all the bases covered, from budget-friendly options like the new Phone (4b) to the current flagship Nothing Phone (3), with all models feeling truly unique when compared to the rest of the modern smartphone landscape.
That’d be an easy task if not for OnePlus’ parent company Oppo, which also makes banger phones like the Find X9 Ultra. With OnePlus sending its potential buyers directly to Oppo, and with the two operating systems set to merge on the next update, the transition would be both easy and logical, so long as Oppo can solidify its presence in the west.
As a OnePlus user, who will you join next?
While my personal theory is that Carl Pei is adaptive enough to seize this opportunity, the majority of you seem to gravitate towards Oppo.
I’ve stated in my article that spec-chasing is not a sensible game plan nowadays, unless your phone can do something exceptional, and that seems to ring true. Oppo’s phones are often beefed up and competitively priced, while committing to being camera phones, for example.
More importantly, Oppo’s devices excel in the places that matter when compared to Nothing’s phones. Oppo is betting on large batteries leveraging modern technology and outstanding, comprehensive camera arrays. While Nothing's tech minimalism is refreshing, it is still an acquired taste.
The issue lies in the big hurdle that Oppo needs to overcome. Right now, if you are in the US and want to get the Find 9X Ultra, you have to find a way to import it and then suffer a fundamentally degraded network experience, because Oppo doesn't offer full band support in your region.
And here's where the story takes an interesting turn. I've checked, and a notable quantity of the submitted votes in favor of Oppo come from the EU. That makes total sense, because techies from the old continent can utilize a phone like the 9X Ultra worry-free. But not all of them are from the EU, and that means a lot considering the present shortcomings listed above.
Currently, most US voters picked Galaxy, Pixel or Nothing, but if Oppo is smart with its next moves and tunes its next devices to work better with the US landscape, we could be in for an exciting industry shift. That being said, Nothing has already paved a solid path to the United States, while Oppo still isn’t ready, so it might also be a matter of time to earn the trust of early adopters.
What’s next: Nothing, Pixel, Galaxy or… Oppo?
At least we have plenty of options. | Image by PhoneArena
Of course, most OnePlus fans are unhappy with recent developments, and are already looking for a new brand to jump over to. This next poll managed to gather over 1,700 votes, which can give us a more detailed breakdown:
If OnePlus quietly faded out of your market, where would you actually land?
While Oppo isn't winning via majority, there's a lot to unpack with this 20% we're seeing, especially given that the OnePlus exit strategy is still happening.
This 20% share seems consistent with other presented poll data, where Oppo is available as a choice, and that means that there is dedication behind the numbers. This means that despite the challenge of actually importing an Oppo phone and the fundamentally degraded network experience it would offer in the US, some are willing to risk it. The brand can definitely leverage this moving forward, but only if it plays things smart and delivers where it counts.
For the remaining results, I could go over key aspects of each of the rest of the brands. I could tell you about how Nothing is held back by Carl Pei's "flagship-killer" mentality, often offering outdated specs, or that the Galaxy S26 is still a mature, refined option, despite the occasional horror stories about exploding batteries and failing screens, which are just raindrops in an ocean of produced phones.
But that would be like recommending a smartwatch to someone looking for a prestige automatic wristwatch. OnePlus fans care about no-compromise value, a clean software experience, and outstanding battery and charging capabiltiies.
Presently, none out of Galaxy, Pixel or Nothing offer silicon-carbon battery technology. This was one of the specs that convinced me to commit to the OnePlus 13, and I often find myself using my device for two or even three days at a time. And if we start talking about fast-charging technology, OnePlus leaves all of its competition in the dust with unmatched charging speeds.
On the software front, both Nothing and Pixel phones offer a clean, bloat-free experience. Nothing has an established identity leaning towards digital-detoxing that not every OnePlus fan would enjoy. Modern Pixel phones, alternatively, are brimming with AI features that would feel overwhelming to a OnePlus user. Galaxy phones offer a feature-rich OS experience, but that comes at the cost of an inherent app ecosystem, which is a double-edged sword.
Then we circle back to Oppo, which offers cutting-edge specs at reasonable prices, including modern battery and fast-charging technology — identical to OnePlus, in fact.
Of course, I'm not saying that Oppo is the go-to option here. The Galaxy S26 Ultra offers incredible performance and unique features like its Privacy Display; the Pixel 10a is sure to impress you with photos that look fantastic out of the gate, despite the phone's budget-friendly price; and I've already shared that I truly love and relate to Nothing's game plan and believe that plenty of younger enthusiasts will easily get won over by that very tactic.
The future itself is also a factor. Rumors suggest that Samsung is ready to implement silicon-carbon batteries in its next series of flagships, while Google's AI-breakthrough promises sound more bombastic year by year. We don't know much about the Nothing Phone (4), but if there was ever a time to go all-out, it would be now, and Carl Pei certainly knows that better than me.
Personally, I believe that the key takeaway here is that those who didn't pick Oppo did so because of the brand's limitations in the US, and not because Oppo's phones aren't impressive. With the right moves, this percentage is almost guaranteed to grow, following in suite with EU-based vote results.
The final problem
Foldables are also a factor. | Image by PhoneArena
Put yourself in my shoes. Okay, if the size doesn’t fit you — imagine you’re a OnePlus fan, if you aren’t already. Let’s get specific and pick our next phones:
Which phone brand are you moving to if you own a OnePlus phone?
I hope a lot of the readers of the previous articles join us once again to submit their vote, because this is a truly fascinating shift to me. I’m very interested to see where this all could go, but if I have to place my bets, I think that Nothing and Pixel will be in the lead with Galaxy and Oppo coming in second.
If you want to play along, leave a comment below before you submit your vote, and if it all works out, we’ll have another discussion next week. Until then, tell me the specific model you’d go for and why — I’d love to hear about it.
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Stan, also known as Stako, is a smartphone enthusiast who loves exploring the limits of Android customization. His journey with mobile tech began with the Nokia 5110 and evolved with devices like the BlackBerry 9350 Curve and Samsung Galaxy A4. Despite his love for Android, he holds equal respect for Apple, considering the iPhone 4s as a significant milestone in mobile tech. Stan started his writing career early, contributing to MetalWorld, and harbors a passion for creative writing. Beyond smartphones, he's interested in photography, design, composition, and gaming, often preferring solo projects to hone his objective thinking. He's also an avid student of open-source technology and consoles, with a special fondness for the Pebble Watch, Arduboy, and Playdate.
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