There has been a widespread belief for a long time that Android phones can’t match Apple phones when it comes to quality, this is what OnePlus has aimed to change since its formation. China-based OnePlus Technology Co., Ltd. is a smartphone and electronic manufacturer. It was founded by Pete Lau (CEO) and Carl Pei (Director) in December 2013.
According to a report, OnePlus holds 33% of the total market share for premium smartphones. OnePlus offers smartphones as well as headphones, chargers, and Smart Television set in over 340 countries.
History
Pete Lau and Carl Pei co-founded OnePlus, as previously mentioned. When Lau became vice president of OPPO, and Pei became head of OPPO’s global marketing and E-commerce division, they worked together. They walked into a Café with their colleagues from OPPO and noticed that all of them were using Apple smartphones because they believed that Android phones were more concerned with market share than quality. As a result, they argued that Apple can never be the second best to them in terms of product quality. Because of this, OnePlus’ originates, as it offers better options for android users instead of settling for something less.
Mission
Never Settle is OnePlus’ mission statement, which in essence means that the company will never settle, never rest on past success, but will strive to achieve even greater success in the future. OnePlus will never relax until it seeks to offer the best possible experience to its users, that is its simple mission statement. A company that uses this phrase finds out what its customers desire most from their phones. Never Settle is a company slogan that acknowledges that the world is developing every day, and the company should not stop either.
Products & Services
After determining the need for a premium Android smartphone line, the company had to decide which features it would implement in its product lines. All of their manufacturing processes were focused on quality. Thus, OnePlus does not focus on creating something entirely different, but rather on enhancing actual user experiences in everyday situations.
The company showed its first product on 22 April 2014, just 4 months after starting. It was the highly awaited OnePlus One. The model received positive feedback from the public. This product was half the cost of its competitors but performed on the same level as the others. Despite the fact that it had some technical flaws and a lower camera quality due to its low price, it performed exceedingly well despite the fact that it was less available than any of its closest competitors.
Globally, OnePlus is one of the top-selling phone brands by 2021. One of their main selling points was the unique design, the continuous improvement of the camera quality with every new model, and the affordable price.
OnePlus appeases the different segments of the audience with every product it releases while always putting quality and affordability first.
Marketing Strategies
OnePlus is one of the largest Instagram users, with over 3,5 million fans. Every single detail of the pictures is carefully considered by the company. Bright colors and high quality make this picture stand out among others. By the caption next to the picture, we get the impression that OnePlus makes the best use of every detail and is a company that appreciates beauty. This viewer gets the impression that this company’s employees are creative and cannot limit their imaginations. This is why it is evident that OnePlus is part of the Creator Brand Authenticity.
Pricing Strategy
OnePlus offers affordable smartphones and other devices that feature high-quality features without overcharging. The company was able to offer products that led in design, build quality, and specifications at an unprecedented price. The phones’ prices attracted those who were looking for a high-end device but did not want to spend a lot of money.
OnePlus, according to some industry observers, has maintained a very competitive pricing strategy while manufacturing its phones and didn’t care about costs. Due to that, the company focuses on producing high-quality products with a low-profit margin, allowing the company to distribute its products worldwide at a low cost.
All costs added up, they said the startup kept a small margin for itself to stay in business and passed the remaining savings on to its existing customers at low prices. Nevertheless, prices vary from country to country based on many factors.
Target Market
The colorful and cheerful commercial opens with the direct integration of the product. It is important to note that the phone is positioned as a phone with good priorities from the very beginning of the advertisement. This makes the viewer watch the entire video to grasp the phone’s priorities.
In the advertisement, the phone is shown with its Flagship camera, Nightscape, dual selfie cameras, OxygenOS, 90 Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 765G, and Warp Charge 30T.
It is crucial to pay close attention to the participants in the commercial. All of the participants are youthful and vibrant, as is noticeable from the commercial. Based on this, OnePlus has selected conscious progressives as its target segment.
Difficulties
Both in the domestic and global smartphone markets, analysts said OnePlus faced stiff competition. Similar to OnePlus, Xiaomi, Huawei Technologies, and ZTE offered Android smartphones with affordable prices with high-end features. One of the most notable devices in its price range was the Nexus 5, which came with OnePlus-like specifications and was available for $349.
Conclusion
In the market, OnePlus entered through a very affordable phone where everyone can afford, based on their extensive research. To launch their new product, they have leveraged social media and linked with Amazon, one of the most popular e-commerce sites. In the smartphone industry, OnePlus is competing against established brands like OPPO and Samsung. One Plus mobile phones are becoming more competitive with the advent of 5G technologies.
