Tushar Mehta/Android Authority
TL;DR
- Reddit users report that OnePlus 15 and 15R display units are being removed from Best Buy locations and replaced with Nothing phones.
- There has been a turnaround in the retail business following executive turnover in India and layoffs in Europe, fueling rumors of a global comeback.
- OnePlus North America previously confirmed that it is still working and providing full support to users.
We’ve been hearing rumors about the fate of OnePlus for quite some time now. Wild rumors claimed the company might scale back or even shut down its global operations. The dominoes begin to fall: OnePlus India faces major changes with its CEO, followed by layoffs in Europe. Now it’s the next in line in the US, where OnePlus phones are disappearing from local Best Buy shelves.
reddit user exodia101 Noticed that their local Best Buy had removed all OnePlus phones from the display areas of the store. Previously, the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R were showcased on the shelves, but they have since been replaced by Nothing phones.
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My colleague Stephen Schenk checked his local Best Buy, and indeed, there were no OnePlus phones on display. There was also a big empty space in the phone section. An associate confirmed that the OnePlus device was recently removed from the location.
Stefan Schenk/Android Authority
Interestingly, the OnePlus phones are still available for purchase on Best Buy’s website, and they’re also available for in-store pickup at the aforementioned stores. Still, its absence from retail store shelves is a big deal, as the average consumer would not be aware of the company’s existence and its product portfolio, let alone be tempted to buy a phone that competes with the iPhone/Galaxy in their pocket.
Other users also confirmed this, with some suggesting that the store displays did a poor job of selling the phone. For example, Reddit user Poisonwaffle3 Note that Best Buy’s display shelf for the OnePlus 15 did not have the battery capacity listed on the display card, which is one of the phone’s big selling points. reddit user fenderbass1994 Reportedly, their local Best Buy in Southern California only had the OnePlus 15R on display, and even the demo unit was not operational for customers to experience.
Earlier in the year, OnePlus shared the following statement on rumors of its closure:
OnePlus North America continues to serve users with full guarantees of after-sales support, software updates and rights commitments.
We have contacted OnePlus for a new statement. We will update this article once we receive a response from the company.
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