Can OnePlus finally change the perception that Chinese smartphones are cheap and shoddy?
- An exclusive distribution pact with US carrier T-Mobile enables OnePlus to compete directly against Apple and Samsung in the premium smartphone segment of the world’s largest economy
OnePlus, the first Chinese smartphone company to sell its premium model through a major US telecommunications carrier, hopes to finally smash people’s general perception that China’s domestic brands are only good for inexpensive, low-quality handsets.
“Selling the OnePlus 6T through a US carrier is of great significance because it will help build confidence in Chinese brands, which is something that we should feel proud of,” Pete Lau, the founder and chief executive of OnePlus, said at a company event in Shenzhen on Monday.
OnePlus and T-Mobile jointly announced last month an exclusive pact that has made available the Chinese firm’s flagship OnePlus 6T model across more than 5,600 stores of the third-largest mobile network operator in the US.
Lau said that deal marked the first time a Chinese smartphone company has entered the US market’s premium segment for devices that cost between US$550 and US$630, which enables OnePlus to compete directly against Apple and Samsung Electronics.
“Some Chinese brands are already selling through US carriers, but those consumers (who buy from the US operators) only want to purchase a US$100 product, rather than look for a specific brand,” he said.