Oppo/OnePlus merger is getting more real by the day
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
TL; DR
- Oppo is reportedly laying off 20% of its workforce in China due to layoffs.
- This happens after the merger with OnePlus in the middle of the year.
- Employees of the ColorOS and wearables teams are particularly affected.
When the merger of Oppo and OnePlus was announced earlier this year, fans worried about the possible negative consequences. However, it appears that Oppo, especially its staff, are now bearing the brunt of the deal.
According to a new report from Bloomberg citing “people familiar with the matter”, Oppo is laying off 20% of its employees from its China-based ColorOS software development, smartwatch and audio product teams. The move is apparently aimed at several layoffs after integrating with OnePlus. Compounding this lengthy roster is a brewing economic slowdown in China due to global chipset shortages and new restrictions in response to the pandemic.
Oppo became the largest OEM in China in January 2021, outperforming its sibling Vivo and long-time Chinese market leader Huawei. The foray into Europe was also successful. Its market share in the region grew 82% in 2020 and delivered 6.5 million units in the same period. However, Oppo is also struggling to break into key regions like North America, where OnePlus sees more success.
Bloomberg‘s sources indicate that Oppo’s research and development teams outside of China are “still” affected by downsizing. It is unclear whether further job cuts are likely or whether Oppo is ready to weather the storm in international regions. Nevertheless, the biggest losers in the merger of Oppo and OnePlus do not seem to be the fans of the companies, but their employees.
