OnePlus Is Losing Its Crown in 2025 — What Went Wrong After 7 Phone Launches?

For a brand that once proudly called itself the “Flagship Killer,” 2025 has been one of the most complicated years in OnePlus’s history. On paper, the company did almost everything right—more launches, more premium phones, higher-end processors, and massive investments to fix past mistakes. But the reality on the ground tells a very different story.

Using only the data provided, let’s break down what really happened to OnePlus in 2025, why its market share slipped despite seven phone launches, and whether the brand can realistically bounce back.

OnePlus 2025 Phone Lineup: A Clear Shift Toward Premium

In 2025, OnePlus launched seven smartphones, and the strategy was obvious from day one—go premium or go home.

The lineup looked like this:

• OnePlus 13 – Snapdragon 8 Elite at ₹69,999

• OnePlus 13R – ₹42,999

• OnePlus 13s Compact – A compact powerhouse with Snapdragon 8 Elite

• Nord CE5 – Around ₹25,000

• Nord 5 – Around ₹32,000

• OnePlus 15 – ₹73,000

• OnePlus 15R – ₹47,999

Out of seven launches, five phones sat squarely between ₹40,000 and ₹70,000. That’s not accidental. OnePlus clearly wants to be seen as a premium brand again, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Apple and Samsung instead of fighting in the budget trenches.

The problem? The market didn’t move with them.

Market Share Drop: From Segment Leader to 10th Position

There was a time when OnePlus dominated the ₹30,000+ segment. Back in 2019, it was the number one brand, beating both Samsung and Apple in that category.

Fast forward to 2025, and the picture is worrying.

• Market share fell from 6.1% to 3.9%.

• Latest IDC reports place OnePlus at 10th position

• Current market share stands at just 2.4%.

Seven phone launches couldn’t stop the slide. Instead of growth, OnePlus saw steady erosion—suggesting the issue runs much deeper than just product count.

The Green Line Crisis and Project Starlight

The real damage began years earlier with the infamous Green Line display issue, which affected multiple OnePlus phones from 2020 all the way to the OnePlus 12.

To repair trust, OnePlus launched Project Starlight, investing a massive ₹6,000 crore to:

• Improve after-sales service

• Upgrade display panel quality

• Permanently fix green line issues

• Strengthen offline retail presence

On paper, it was a strong corrective step. But even after a year, OnePlus hasn’t returned to its old growth trajectory. Fixing hardware problems is one thing—fixing brand perception is much harder.

Losing the “Flagship Killer” Identity

OnePlus’s original charm came from offering top-tier specs at aggressive prices. That identity slowly faded.

In 2025, OnePlus leaned heavily on the Nord series for volume, but this move came at a cost. According to the analysis, this strategy diluted the brand’s premium image instead of strengthening it.

A clear example is the Nord CE5, which is reportedly outperformed by competitors like the Lava Agni 4 in nearly 90% of use cases. That’s not the kind of comparison a premium-aspiring brand wants.

The Missing CE Lite: A Costly Absence

One of the biggest strategic missteps in 2025 was not launching a CE Lite model.

In 2024, the CE4 Lite was OnePlus’s best-selling phone. It brought volume, visibility, and relevance to the budget segment. But in 2025, OnePlus skipped the Lite model entirely to protect its premium image.

The result?

• High-volume budget buyers moved to Poco and iQOO.

• OnePlus lost a key entry point for new users.

• Premium branding came at the cost of mass-market presence.

In hindsight, this decision clearly backfired.

Pricing Strategy: Competing With Apple Is Easier Said Than Done

With most phones priced between ₹40,000 and ₹70,000, OnePlus entered a dangerous zone.

In this range, many buyers don’t compare refresh rates, processors, or benchmarks. They simply ask one question: “Should I just buy an iPhone?”

Apple’s iPhone has become a status symbol, and OnePlus is struggling to compete with that emotional pull—no matter how strong the specs look on paper.

Gaming Focus: A Strategic Mismatch

OnePlus is aggressively marketing its phones as high-performance gaming devices, but the strategy doesn’t align with buyer behavior.

Here’s why it’s being called a mis-move:

• Serious mobile gamers, especially BGMI players, are often college students.

• This audience prefers the ₹30,000 price segment, dominated by Poco and iQOO.

• Buyers spending ₹50,000+ usually care more about brand value, cameras, and lifestyle experience than raw gaming power.

In trying to please gamers, OnePlus may have missed its actual premium audience.

Camera Performance: Good, But Not the Best

OnePlus cameras have improved, but they still lag behind competitors like Vivo and Oppo’s Find X series (which, interestingly, is a OnePlus spin-off).

For photography-focused buyers, this gap is enough to push them toward other brands—especially in the premium price range, where expectations are sky-high.

Manufacturing Costs, Shrinking Margins, and Price Pressure

One reason the OnePlus 15 series pricing stayed manageable is timing. Components were ordered when rates were lower. That cushion won’t last.

Key challenges ahead:

• Heavy spending on marketing and offline retail has shrunk margins.

• Phones launching in early 2026 are expected to be significantly more expensive.

• Big discounts during sales like Big Billion Days are unlikely because margins are already thin

In simple terms, OnePlus doesn’t have much pricing flexibility left.

Final Verdict: Can OnePlus Make a Comeback?

OnePlus is clearly trying—investing heavily, fixing past mistakes, and repositioning itself as a premium brand. But somewhere along the way, it lost the magic that made people root for it.

A true comeback would require aggressive pricing, yet rising component costs make that extremely difficult. For now, all eyes are on one number: 2.4% market share.

Whether that figure recovers or dips further by 2026 will decide if OnePlus’s premium gamble pays off—or becomes a cautionary tale in smartphone history.

For longtime fans, the hope remains. But hope alone won’t bring back a flagship killer.thin.

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