After OnePlus' consolidation into Oppo, the Chinese handset maker has started absorbing Realme's operations in India as well. This amalgamation is leading to layoffs primarily in sales and support teams. Oppo has started telling people to exit, with the sales team given a deadline of April 30.
This layoff has been reported by Moneycontrol, citing sources familiar with the matter. The restructuring is part of Oppo's global strategy to reposition Realme as a sub-brand for cost optimization.
Layoffs commence in sales and support teams
As part of this absorption, Oppo has begun cutting roles in sales and support teams at Realme. Employees in sales and service network teams have been asked to resign by April 30.
This initial phase of layoffs is part of a broader effort to eliminate redundancies in the highly competitive Indian smartphone market. While the exact number of affected employees has not been disclosed, the move signals potential further job cuts as more functions integrate.
The merger has already begun, with Realme’s sales teams instructed to shift to the revised structure. Oppo’s marketing and service networks are expected to shoulder a significant portion of the combined operations.
More functions are likely to be affected in the coming months as the streamlining exercise gathers pace. Brand identities and front-end marketing will remain separate, but backend resources will be shared for optimisation. “The structure is expected to mirror the Vivo model. iQOO, for instance, was never spun off as a separate entity and continues to operate within Vivo,” the source told Moneycontrol, pointing to Vivo’s strong performance in India.
Research and development is already largely integrated between the two brands, with the consolidation focusing on support and operational functions, particularly in employee-heavy areas such as after-sales and offline distribution.
This consolidation mirrors a similar move in 2021 when OnePlus integrated closer to Oppo, resulting in shared R&D and operational functions.
What is driving the layoffs in India?
The primary driver behind this move is cost optimisation under the same parent company, formerly BBK Electronics Corporation, which deregistered in 2023. “For BBK, both brands operate under the same parent. The logic is simple — if the parent is one, why run fully separate operations? Instead of spinning off sub-brands as independent companies, keep them within the same umbrella structure, align operations and ideally the P&L. That’s how operational costs get optimised,” the source reportedly said.
Background on Realme's origins and return to Oppo
Realme was launched in 2018 as an Oppo sub-brand before being spun off as an independent label later that year. Its first device, the Realme 1, carried the 'By Oppo' branding. Eight years on, the brand now appears to be returning to its original position under the Oppo umbrella.
The restructuring stems from a global decision to consolidate resources and lower costs through a unified structure. “In China, this has already been done. In India, it’s a bit different right now because there are ongoing legal issues involving Oppo. So, they can’t move as aggressively here but this will happen gradually and across functions,” the source said.
