OnePlus is one of those Chinese smartphone makers that have risen fast in the past decade to become one of the trendsetters in the industry. Since the beginning, the company has been making budget devices with reasonable prices just enough to snatch more market share from traditional behemoths.
But that has been changing as the company adopts to take on pricey flagship devices unveiled by other smartphone companies, the likes of Apple and Samsung. An excellent example of that is the recently unveiled OnePlus 8 series phones which start at a whopping $700. That gets you the base model, but you have to add another $200 for the flagship-level Pro model.
But the company wants to retract its steps a bit.
In an interview with Fast Company, the founder and CEO of OnePlus, Pete Lau, said that the company wants back in making affordable phones. The company “hopes” to reveal more budget-friendly devices later this year in other markets, including North America and Europe, according to Lau.
“We can look at it as having a more affordable product offering,” he said. The company hasn’t specified whether they will stop making flagship-grade phones completely. Despite its “budget” roots, OnePlus is ranked fourth in shipments for phones priced $400 or higher. This indicates they are still thriving despite continuously rising their phone prices.
Lau says there’s a large demand for devices with “suitable prices” and thus the company is taking “very serious consideration.” By offering budget-friendly devices, the company seeks to enable more customers to access their products.
He also revealed that the company wants to expand its portfolio by offering a wide range of devices in new product categories beyond just smartphones. OnePlus already makes TVs and recently forayed into the audio market with wireless neckband earbuds. A wide variety of products is part of the company’s bigger plan as they seek to establish an ecosystem.
Via/FastCompany