OnePlus made headlines last week with its “One” smart phone announcement which claims to be a 2014 flagship killer. It packs top notch specs including a 2.5GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, 5.5″ Full HD display and a 13MP camera with 6 elements lens for just US$299 (RM976). If you look at the specifications, the OnePlus One is quite close with the Oppo Find 7.
Some might find the close resemblance as no surprise considering OnePlus was founded by Pete Lau, the former Vice President of Oppo that stepped down to set up his own smart phone company. During the launch of OnePlus One, they have denied that OnePlus is a subsidiary under Oppo and insists that they are an independent company. To a question on why its smart phone design is similar to the Find 7, Pete responded that it is just an opinion on design, just like how people are saying most smart phones are similar to the iPhone.
Now a document has surfaced revealing that OnePlus is a fully owned subsidiary under Oppo with 100% funding. The authenticity of the document is yet to be verified but if it is real, Oppo could be experimenting with a spin off company to cater for a different segment. Looking at how they are selling the device, OnePlus is seen to be competing with brands like Xiaomi that’s popular with offering affordable smart phones exclusively online.
It is likely that OnePlus and Oppo could be sharing resources to minimise cost but generally both are considered different companies with its own management, marketing and distribution. OnePlus is currently targeting just 16 countries for its OnePlus One debut while Oppo has presence in more countries internationally including Malaysia.
You can view the alleged OnePlus ownership document after the break.
