I’ll miss OnePlus, I believe in Nothing, but I want to see what Oppo’s going to do next

Coincidence or conspiracy?

I couldn’t help but notice that around the time when rumors about OnePlus stepping away from some territories started surfacing, Nothing started expanding, confidently.

The missing link? Stating the obvious: Carl Pei's history with OnePlus. The man co-founded the brand alongside Pete Lau, often serving as a frontman. It's safe to say that the "flagship-killer" tagline that has become a staple of the industry might as well have been invented by Carl. If you've ever found yourself wondering why OnePlus fans tend to be loyal, you should know that Pei played a key role in that.

While Carl Pei’s new company is still nowhere the level of its bigger rivals, Nothing has certainly made a name for itself through bold decisions and ideas, which no other competitor — bigger or not — is offering. So it’s not difficult to imagine a future where Nothing replaces OnePlus in the west, if OnePlus even exists elsewhere at such a point (because at that point, why would Oppo divide itself among two brands?)

I recently got to experience the best of what Nothing has to offer, and while the Phone (3)’s specs didn’t translate to the raw power that my OnePlus 13 emanates, I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss having a Nothing phone around.

The software experience is unique as can be, allowing for unsurpassed creativity in the forms of custom widgets and camera filters. While the photos I took often looked imperfect, their style more than made up for it because the perfectionism that my OnePlus 13 conditioned me to strive for was replaced by having fun. And as much as I love my OnePlus 13’s blue, faux-leather back, every device that Nothing has ever produced is worthy of being on my wall.

And I’m certainly not the only one who feels this way. Nothing kicked off 2026 strong through opening its first flagship store in India. While that might not sound like much if you’re a westerner, India is one of the biggest smartphone markets in the world, and the need of a store in Bengaluru means there was a demand for Nothing at a place where competition is unusually fierce and more diverse than what we’re accustomed to.

Furthermore, Nothing’s announcement was followed by the clear intent to continue this trend and open stores in New York and Tokyo, Japan. One would serve as a landmark of Nothing’s growing influence in the western market, while the other would validate the brand’s presence in another vibrant, competitive eastern market.

But the question remains:

Can Nothing capitalize on OnePlus’ absence?

OnePlus is fantastic at making well-rounded flagships that don’t maximize their cost potential. This means that almost every OnePlus flagship phone has had top-notch specs, a reasonably optimized and unique software experience, all capable of rivaling phones like the Galaxy S26 or the Pixel 10, but doing so at a less demanding price.

And even if you’d like to stop me and correct me on that front, let me share my own experience. I got my OnePlus 13 on launch, and OnePlus showered me with so many pre-order bonuses, that after reselling some of those and my previous phone, I made up more than 50% of the OnePlus 13’s launch price. Let that sink in, because it’s certainly a conscious marketing effort and not some chance lucky strike I got.

But the issue with well-rounded phones is that they often share their fate with the likes of Asus’ Zenfone phones. I like Zenfones, but I can’t shy away from their fault: when you are good enough at everything and you aren’t outstanding in anything — especially in terms of design — you’re doing something wrong.

The OnePlus 13 is OnePlus’ magnum opus in terms of design, in my opinion. There are so many details in this device that only light at the right angle can reveal, that it’s mind-boggling. At the same time, however, this must not have been worth it, as the OnePlus 15 went with an extremely boring and uninspired design.

And in the opposite corner, we’ve got Nothing: non-flagship specs at non-flagship prices, with a unique gimmick inside and outside. A series of devices betting so precisely that they’ve naturally fit in an industry segment that was just sitting there, unoccupied.

But is that enough to bring OnePlus users to your side?

Nothing has Carl Pei and that goes a long way. It’s a company that has shown a strong, dedicated vision and built its community through being open. That means a lot nowadays, when companies often feel more sterile than ever. But more importantly: it sounds like a familiar tactic, and Carl is just teaching a masterclass at how to apply it. 

Nothing is now perfectly positioned to be the new underdog in the west, especially after OnePlus pulls away and stops filling in that segment. Pixel phones can’t ever take such a position due to the very fact they are owned by Google: a pretty rich company that actually makes Android as an OS.

At the same time, I’m not sure who will win over OnePlus’ buyers and ex-fans. Some will naturally gravitate to more stable and established brands like Galaxy, because it’s the easier choice. Others will, of course, trust Carl Pei and at the very least try a Nothing phone before deciding to move on or stick around. 

I believe that the core takeaway here is that spec-chasing phones that don't have an identity which goes beyond bare numbers just don't have a segment anymore, and the industry is finally realizing that. 

The OnePlus 13 was close to a do-it-all phone, but its unique design and Hasselblad partnership showed character where it mattered. Right after that, however, OnePlus backtracked with the OnePlus 15, which was familiar and boring, despite being powerful and well-rounded. 

And the Nothing Phone (3) is just so much fun. But while that may be, the traditional enthusiast isn't so easily impressed by intentional software design and add-ons. Having a cutting-edge CPU and a long-lasting battery life goes a long way in the eyes of the traditional consumer. 

Oppo, on the other hand, with phones like the Find X9 Ultra, shows a true commitment to a gimmick, to something more than a do-it-all phone, while offering bleeding-edge specs. 

For a moment, just imagine a reality where Oppo positions itself well enough to encourage a lot of OnePlus’ followers to give an Oppo phone a shot. I think that many of them would be enamored, for good reasons. 

But at the same time, we must admit that smartphone performance has plateaued in the last years: a superpowered hardware spec is no longer required to run taxing tasks or play demanding games. So the real question becomes: will design and intent change the way that the conventional consumer thinks?

OnePlus' future leaves us with the possibility of exciting shifts, all testament to the brand's prowess. I don’t think I can rightly predict the outcome, but I’m sure enjoying the show, bittersweet as it is.