OnePlus have done it! They have just broken the billion-dollar sales mark and have managed to make a profit in the super-competitive smartphone market. In an interview with The Telegraph, the company’s CEO Pete Lau has revealed that their revenues last year had doubled to more than $1.4bn (around Rs. 10,000 Crores) which made them “healthy profits”.
OnePlus is a much-loved brand in India. It offers the best value for money in the premium segment of smartphones. It comes with the unbeatable combination of premium specifications and upper midrange prices.
In a market which is flooded with affordably-priced value-for-money smartphones, it is not an easy task to stand out and have that reflect in your sales figures. Not only has OnePlus managed to stand out, but it has also become the no. 1 selling brand in the premium segment in India by gaining people’s trust.
Now OnePlus is looking to garner some global success when they try to tap the second-largest smartphone market, the USA.
OnePlus Eyeing The US Smartphone Market
It is reportedly in talks with US carriers to offer their phones through the carriers’ sales channels. The US smartphone market is completely different from the Indian smartphone market. In India, people prefer to buy their phones outright unlike in the US where 85% – 90% people buy theirs from the carriers.
Pete Lau has said
“In the US we’re in communication with a few of the carriers, this is not something we need to earn their trust, we use our product to earn their trust,”
OnePlus is a tiny company when compared to some Korean and American smartphone giants. But it has its supply chain sorted, which ensures a steady supply of phones. And it has a dedicated following among hardcore Android fans. In 2016 it had tied up with O2 to take advantage of the carrier-sales model in the UK.
But it is not easy to get in the carrier club in the USA, especially for a Chinese smartphone maker, as Huawei found out the hard way when AT&T had to pull out of a proposed deal under pressure from the US government amid security concerns.
“In the US we’re in communication with a few of the carriers, this is not something we need to earn their trust, we use our product to earn their trust,” said Mr Lau.
What’s Next For OnePlus?
After the success of the OnePlus 5T, the company has its eyes set firmly on the future. The OnePlus 5T was so well-received that the company came out with, not one but, three limited editions of the smartphone. Now the next focus is on the OnePlus 6.
While Mr Lau wouldn’t divulge any details of the upcoming smartphone, one thing is sure. The smartphone will be powered by the latest powerhouse from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 845. Historically, all OnePlus smartphones have been smooth performers. The Snapdragon 845, coupled with software optimization, will make sure that the next flagship will carry on the tradition.
OnePlus is also planning to get the latest feature from their flagship, Face Unlock, to the OnePlus 3 and the OnePlus 3T. It is this attitude of OnePlus that has endeared it to its fans so much. The future is only looking brighter for OnePlus, at least in India, where it has worked hard to gain the trust of its users, which in itself is quite a feat for a Chinese smartphone maker.