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OnePlus has made a successful entry into the IoT market in India, with its smart TVs and audio products showing impressive growth rates. The brand has recently expanded into the tablet market with the launch of the OnePlus Pad, which the company claims is a game-changer.
In an exclusive interaction with the Indian Express, Kinder Liu, President and COO of OnePlus, discusses the importance of IoT ecosystem and how it plans to keep its core users in the OnePlus family. The company also talks about the challenges it faced when entering the tablet market and its plans for expansion in the segment.
OnePlus has been lately adding products to the OnePlus ecosystem. Why do you think creating an ecosystem will be key to OnePlus’ growth in India?
We believe that the Internet of Things is a future-ready concept, and as the brand grows, more users are looking for an experience that is fast and smooth. At OnePlus, our aim is to extend our unique fast and smooth experience to our IoT category – offering a complete ecosystem experience across segments.
OnePlus has already witnessed great success with its IoT products, especially in the Indian market. For example, in 2022, our range of smart TVs recorded a growth of 106 per cent, and OnePlus ranked among the top three manufacturers in India. Moreover, OnePlus’ range of audio products witnessed a 70 per cent year-on-year growth, ranking number two in India.
Backed by strong R&D resources in 2023, OnePlus is all set to expand its already growing IoT user base, with IoT offerings across categories. In fact, in February 2023, as part of the Cloud 11 launch event, OnePlus forayed into the tablet segment with the launch of the OnePlus Pad, announcing its vision of curating a 5G-led smart device ecosystem which unlocks the full potential of the signature OnePlus experience. To that end, OnePlus announced its new ecosystem-focused product strategy – “1+4+X”, wherein the “1” represents the smartphone and the “4” represents, four robust product categories of the brand – tablet, wearable, audio and TV.
Going forward, OnePlus will continue to strengthen its diverse product portfolio and introduce the iconic OnePlus fast and smooth experience to more IoT products.
Do you think OnePlus can still make a mark in the tablet market? Why it took so long to enter the tablet market?
The OnePlus Pad will be a game changer in the industry. Our community has always been at the core of the product development strategy, and at OnePlus, offering meaningful technology, that provides an industry-leading experience, is the ultimate goal.
Ever since 2019, OnePlus has been working towards introducing a tablet. However, as with most of our products, we wanted to launch a flagship product that challenged the benchmarks set in the tablet industry, to offer users what they deserve.
Today the standards set for a flagship product are very high and to meet them head-on, we developed several prototypes for internal feedback and insights and did not give up until we finally came up with a product that met our expectations.
The OnePlus Pad was launched after years of hard work and research. Some of the key features of the device were developed by studying the current tablet industry, addressing pain points that plague the current user base, and taking feedback from the community – all of which is the cornerstone of our Never Settle spirit.
One of the key issues for the tablet industry is battery anxiety and addressing this issue, the OnePlus Pad houses a 9510mAh battery which supports all-day hassle-free usage, and is backed with a self-developed 67W SUPERVOOC feature that ensures a full charge in around 80 minutes. Additionally, it boasts an 11.61-inch screen for immersive viewing angles with an industry-first 7:5 ratio and a refresh rate of up to 144Hz, the highest ever in a tablet, allowing users to juggle apps with ease.
What sets OnePlus Pad apart within its segment? Does the company aim to further expand this product category this year?
From the industry-leading features to the signature fast and smooth experience – we believe that the OnePlus Pad is a product that our community and consumers will enjoy. We are not only bringing several industry-first features into the mix but also working with our partners to push the limits and grow together.
The Pad offers an immersive working and entertainment experience. The 7:5 ratio screen, and the 144Hz refresh rate, are both never seen before introductions to the tablet market. With the large and unique screen, more lines of an e-book can be shown, more rows of a sheet will be listed, and more horizons will be exhibited in a video. Such a special ratio display currently does not exist in the market, therefore, we have invested extra time and resources to customize the screen to offer the best to the consumers. Moreover, with its 144Hz refresh rate, the OnePlus Pad is all set to offer seamless gaming and viewing experience to its users.
This is the first time OnePlus has forayed into the tablet market, and the excitement and interest that our community has shown us have left us optimistic for category expansion. However, we are evaluating the situation and would love to hear more feedback from our users so that we make an informed decision.
What is OnePlus doing to keep its core users in the OnePlus family?
OnePlus started this year on a positive note, celebrating its 10th year anniversary in the Indian market. We are glad that every year our community only grows and our much-loved OnePlus Red Cable Club (RCC) membership program, which was piloted in India and then made global, has seen incredible growth since its debut and today has an active user base of over 16mn members in India and 32mn members globally.
Community feedback and support are a central tenet of the OnePlus brand. We are eager and curious to know how our community is evolving, and to understand their needs and aspirations to further our ability to create meaningful experiences for them both at a product level and as fans. The OnePlus India community is one of the most vocal and enthusiastic groups of individuals, and a lot of our decisions in the region are basis their feedback – most noticeably our product expansion across categories and segments. As we move towards a 5G-connected world, building a meaningful ecosystem, with 5G leading capabilities, is necessary to empower our users with an experience which is not only fast and smooth but also burden-less.
We will continue to build new products and experiences co-created with our India community which will uphold OnePlus’ signature experience and lead the industry trend in the field of 5G technology.
How important is easy financing for OnePlus customers in India? How do you plan to boost accessibility to expand the reach of OnePlus smartphones in India?
As India continues to be one of our most important markets, we are always looking to partner with leading finance players and telcos who share the ‘Never Settle’ spirit, delivering excellent service to our ever-growing community. To that end, we will continue to strategically work with our partners to bring our fast and smooth experience to a larger audience across segments and categories.
There is a perception that smartphone brands no more innovate. What is OnePlus’ answer to critics? Is camera innovation enough to sell high-end phones in the market?
Where there is a challenge, there is always an opportunity. Every market has a dynamic development process, and the smartphone market is no different. Users don’t perceive a product from a single perspective, instead, they view it in all entirety, under multiple scenarios. That’s why, besides introducing flagship-level camera capabilities, OnePlus insists on also bringing a fast and smooth experience to users, encompassing signature hardware and software technologies.
Revolutionary and leading technologies are a result of research and development and the same is weaved into OnePlus’ DNA. Upholding the spirit of ‘Never Settle’, we continue to invest in R&D to introduce cutting-edge technologies in the market, such as self-developed SUPERVOOC, Turbo Raw and Hyper Boost Engine, in addition to the camera supremacy. Introducing the “1+4+X” product portfolio is also an important step for us to bring better experiences to users in 2023.
