Oppo Merges OnePlus and Realme Operations Under New Sub-Brand Unit

Oppo has restructured operations for its smartphone sub-brands OnePlus and Realme by combining key functions into unified internal units, according to reports from Chinese media and tipsters that surfaced on April 29 and 30, 2026.

The changes center on product development and commercial activities for both brands in China and globally, with Realme founder and CEO Sky Li taking a leading role over sub-brand business strategy.

The moves build on earlier integration steps.

Realme, which spun out from Oppo in 2018 as an independent brand targeting younger buyers, began reintegrating as an official Oppo sub-brand in January 2026 to share resources and reduce costs within parent company BBK Electronics.

OnePlus, founded in 2013 and long aligned with Oppo, had already seen parts of its design and R&D teams merged with the parent years ago.

The latest adjustments appear aimed at further streamlining teams amid competitive pressures in the smartphone market.

According to leaks shared by prominent Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station and corroborated by outlets including Times of India and NDTV Profit, Oppo established a new “sub-product center” that merges domestic and global product development teams for OnePlus and Realme.

Li Jie, president of OnePlus China, heads this product-focused unit and reports directly to Oppo founder and CEO Liu Zuohu, also known as Pete Lau. Former Realme vice president Wang Wei serves as deputy general manager in the structure.

A parallel sub-business unit handles shared commercial operations, including marketing and services.

Realme CEO Sky Li leads this side, while Xu Qi, previously Realme’s chief marketing officer, oversees the combined marketing and after-sales systems for both brands.

Reports indicate the reorganization emphasizes greater reuse of product lines across the two brands to improve efficiency.

OnePlus India CEO Robin Liu stepped down earlier in 2026 amid separate reports of declining shipments and operational shifts in the country, with sources telling The Economic Times that Liu began reporting to Sky Li as part of the broader elevation of sub-brand oversight.

Both Liu and Li previously operated with comparable independence over their respective brands.

No official press release has appeared from Oppo, OnePlus, or Realme confirming the full details as of April 30.

Product launch schedules for both brands are expected to continue without disruption, based on earlier statements around the January integration of Realme.

Realme has maintained that it would keep its distinct identity focused on value-oriented devices even while operating under Oppo.

The consolidation occurs as Chinese smartphone makers face ongoing margin pressures from component costs and slowing growth in key markets such as India, where both OnePlus and Realme have built significant presence.

By pooling R&D, marketing, and service resources while attempting to preserve brand differentiation, Oppo aims to lower overhead without fully dissolving the separate consumer-facing identities of OnePlus, which targets performance enthusiasts, and Realme, which appeals to budget-conscious buyers.

Questions remain about potential impacts on regional teams and staffing, particularly in markets outside China where OnePlus and Realme have run parallel operations.

We will watch for any shifts in device portfolios or pricing strategies that could signal how deeply the brands share components and features going forward.