Update: There is still no official word from the India subsidiaries of both OnePlus and OPPO on this reported price hike. We have not been able to access the apparent notice on the company website, and hence advise readers to take this information with a pinch of salt. Even if this is accurate, it likely pertains to other regions and India is a completely different market. Therefore, it’s likely it may not apply to India, at least for now.
As per a new GizmoChina report, OPPO has apparently issued a statement on their online store announcing that their smartphones will become more expensive starting March 16th. While the OPPO India website didn’t show any such notice, it’s possible the publication may have accessed it on the China store. The speculated price revision is said to be due to rising component costs caused by ongoing supply shortages. According to the report, the OEM took the decision after “careful evaluation” of the situation.
The initial price hike could affect budget devices in OPPO’s K-series and A-series line-ups, along with select OnePlus smartphones. Meanwhile, OPPO’s flagship Find series, Reno series, and the OPPO Pad line-up will continue to be sold at their current prices for the time being.
Right now, both manufacturers are mum on the actual price hike on their smartphones. However, if market trends are anything to go by, the increase could be around 15-20 percent. This means the OnePlus 15R, which was launched at roughly a 6 percent higher price tag than its predecessor at Rs 47,999, could potentially breach the Rs 50,000 mark. This appears to be in line with a previous leak, which confirmed a starting price of Rs 51,999 for the OnePlus smartphone after the hike.
Other already existing smartphones, including the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus Nord 5 series, are also expected to receive a price hike. As for OPPO, the smartphones that are likely to get costlier include OPPO K14x, K13 series, K12x, A6 series, and A5 series. If you have been eyeing these smartphones, it is recommended to buy them now rather than later.
This is in response rising costs of several key components, including high-speed storage hardware. OPPO and OnePlus are not the only OEMs in the mix when it comes to potential price hikes. Other manufacturers are also grappling with rising component costs and may eventually pass the burden on to consumers. Samsung and Realme have already increased the prices of some of their smartphones (select models) in India, while Vivo and iQOO are expected to follow suit soon.
