OnePlus and Oppo are reportedly planning to exit the European market. According to a report, Chinese smartphone companies owned by BBK Electronics are preparing to withdraw their business from major European markets, including Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The two companies halted smartphone sales in Germany in August 2022 after losing a patent lawsuit with Nokia. The Finnish company has accused smartphone makers of using its patented 5G technology without paying for a license. However, OnePlus and Oppo have yet to officially confirm their departure from Europe.

According to a report by 36kr.com (in Chinese) citing people familiar with the matter, Oppo is expected to leave Germany and the UK. The high costs of selling in the region could be the main reason for the withdrawal. However, macroeconomic reasons such as inflation and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, among others, forced Oppo to withdraw its business from Europe, according to the report. Germany and the UK would retain a minimum workforce for core business operations. The report also indicates that Oppo’s business in other regions, including Italy, Finland, Spain, France and other countries, continues to grow.

Tipster Max Jambor (@MaxJmb) tweeted that Oppo and OnePlus are withdrawing from Europe, starting with Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

At the time of publication, OnePlus and Oppo have not officially confirmed their departure from Europe.

Meanwhile, Oppo India and OnePlus India shared this statement with Gadgets 360:

OPPO and OnePlus engage in all existing European markets and the UK. We are off to a great start in 2023 with successful launches of several products in Europe and have a range of products to come for the rest of the year. As always, OPPO and OnePlus will continue to provide more innovative products and best-in-class service to users in the future.

Although Oppo and OnePlus are leading players in the Indian smartphone market, they hold a minor market share in Europe. According to data from Counterpoint Research, Samsung, Apple and Xiaomi dominated the smartphone space in Europe in the third quarter of last year. Oppo and OnePlus only accounted for 4% of the total European market in Q3 2022.

In August last year, OnePlus and Oppo halted smartphone sales in Germany after losing a patent lawsuit with Nokia. Nokia has accused brands owned by BBK-electronics of using its patented technology to process 5G signals without paying for a license.