OnePlus US Exit: What Changed Since the January Rumors

,OnePlus, once known as the “flagship killer,” could soon stop operating in the US and Europe, according to a report from German publication WinFuture.

If the report proves accurate, it would mark one of the biggest shake-ups in the Android smartphone market in years and bring an end to OnePlus as a standalone brand in some of its biggest international markets.

But this update isn’t exactly breaking news. Rumors that OnePlus was quietly winding down have been circulating since the start of the year. What has changed is that the reports have become increasingly specific, with multiple signs pointing in the same direction.

The first rumors of OnePlus' shutdown began months ago

The first major reports surfaced in January and quickly sparked debate online. They claimed OnePlus was preparing a gradual withdrawal from key smartphone markets, beginning with the US and Europe, citing cancelled product launches, employees leaving the company, and reports of restructuring within its parent company, Oppo.

Responding to the speculation at the time, OnePlus Head of Marketing and Communications for OnePlus North America, Spenser Blank, dismissed the reports in a community post, saying: