It was reported in March 2023 that OPPO and OnePlus might be leaving some European markets, including France, due to patent-related issues. However, the companies claimed back then that they weren't and end customers shouldn't worry about after-sales service. However, it looks like the Chinese firms are indeed leaving the French market.
According to Frandroid, which did some solid ground reporting in this case, OPPO and OnePlus have let go of their external marketing and sales employees in France. These employees are responsible for highlighting their products in retail stores, and their job is to highlight product features in stores, train retail staff, and convert buyers from other brands. This is reportedly a really important role in European countries since smaller smartphone brands can't see enough sales without them when they are up against massive brands like Apple and Samsung.
OnePlus and OPPO leaving France is good news for Samsung
The report states that several retail stores claimed that OnePlus and OPPO are looking to finish their current inventory. Those retailers are not expecting to get any shipments of any of the new phones launched by the Chinese firms. When the publication talked to some sales employees, they claimed that no new phones launched by OnePlus and OPPO in China are coming to France, which probably means that they are ending sales of smartphones in the country.
While the companies had claimed that they were temporarily halting sales in Germany due to a patent lawsuit filed by Nokia, it is now looking like they may exit France and other European markets. This is good news for Samsung as its smartphone sales could increase, owing to lower competition.
