Realme Returns to OPPO After 7 Years as Chinese Smartphone Market Consolidates Under Pressure
Realme returns to OPPO as sub-brand amid Chinese smartphone market consolidation; VIVO thrives regionally while OPPO struggles with component costs and margin compression...
✨ Key Highlights
Realme has officially returned to OPPO as a sub-brand after seven years of independence, effective January 2026. This consolidation within BBK Electronics comes amid intense market pressures and declining sales for OPPO, while VIVO observed modest growth and maintained regional dominance, especially in India.
- Realme's absorption into OPPO means the combined entity is projected to command approximately 11 percent of global market share, taking fourth position globally.
- VIVO maintained 8 percent of global market share throughout 2025, posting 3 percent year-over-year growth.
- In India's Q3 2025 smartphone market, VIVO commanded 24 percent market share, with 18.3% of shipment volumes and 20.7% year-over-year unit growth.
- OPPO's market share dropped from 9 percent in 2023 to 8 percent in 2025, with a 4 percent year-over-year decline in shipments.
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Apple Overtakes Samsung in 2025 Shipments as Realme Rejoins OPPO - January 2026
In 2025, Apple surpassed Samsung to become the global leader in smartphone shipments, capturing a 20% market share as the overall market grew 2% year-over-year. This shift highlights a market "premiumization" trend. Amid intense market pressures and declining sales for OPPO, Realme has officially returned to OPPO as a sub-brand after seven years of independence, effective January 2026. This consolidation occurred within BBK Electronics. Meanwhile, OPPO Kenya is scheduled to launch its new Reno15 Series smartphones on January 23, 2026, which will feature three models: the Reno15 Pro, Reno15, and Reno15F.
