Is OPPO trying to ruin OnePlus? Survey reveals a grim answer (for OnePlus)

A few years ago, I questioned whether OPPO was trying to ruin OnePlus. Fast-forward to 2025 and I’m more convinced than ever that this is the case, as OnePlus follows up the excellent OnePlus 13 with the polarizing OnePlus 15. This also comes after the OnePlus 10 Pro was followed by the OnePlus 11.

I recently wrote an opinion piece outlining my admittedly crazy theory about the two companies. I also included a poll asking readers whether they thought OPPO was trying to ruin OnePlus. Well, the results are in, and here’s how you answered it.

Do you think OPPO is trying to ruin OnePlus?

Almost 2,700 votes were counted in this survey, and it turns out that 57.2% of respondents thought OPPO was trying to ruin OnePlus. This comes against the backdrop of the OnePlus 15 having downgraded camera hardware, the end of the OnePlus/Hasselblad partnership (although OPPO has renewed its Hasselblad deal), and limited OnePlus availability in the US.

Reader Mihir Shetye added to this sentiment with his own theory:

Exactly what I was saying,Oppo just wants to steal Oneplus’s thunder,so they forced them to end the Hasselblad Collab all while keeping it for their own Oppo devices. So,Oneplus were forced not only to end their Hasselblad partnership,but also to downgrade the camera hardware alongside other downgrades like a lower resolution screen,a less tactile haptic motor etc (sic).

Meanwhile, a couple of readers suggested that this OPPO/OnePlus dynamic is why former co-founder Carl Pei left to form Nothing. Either way, almost 60% of surveyed readers thought OPPO was trying to put the boots to OnePlus.

Interestingly, 20.2% of respondents believed that OPPO wasn’t trying to deliberately ruin OnePlus but was doing so unintentionally. This suggests that the parent company is merely mismanaging the OnePlus brand, or making strategic gambles that haven’t paid off yet.

Otherwise, 13.6% of surveyed readers said they weren’t sure, while 9% felt that OPPO had actually improved OnePlus. Looking at it another way, almost eight out of 10 surveyed readers felt that OPPO was deliberately or unintentionally ruining OnePlus. Even if there’s no malice on OPPO and parent company BBK’s part, it’s still not a good look if a majority of enthusiasts think you’re mismanaging OnePlus.