Smartphone companies should consider building products tailored for the Indian market — an unwavering opinion that Pete Lau, who is the founder of tech company OnePlus, holds close to heart. In a way, that also reflects India’s growing importance for OnePlus, not just as a market but also as a hub for research. Investments in the company’s research and development centre in Hyderabad, an illustration, as Lau describes to HT just how certain features that were made based on unique usage scenarios emerging from this part of the world, have been well-received in the US and European markets too.
For OnePlus, this is a pivotal year. There is not only a need to reset after the troubles of the past few quarters (this included retail troubles for a period of time in southern India, and criticism regarding ‘green line’ display issues — Lau has addressed this in our conversation), but build on the sort of brand loyalty that is mostly elusive in the smartphone space. The company’s robust smartphone line-up headlined by the Nord series of mid-range phones and the numerically named flagships (the current generation is, OnePlus 13, has found support with better Android tablets and wearables. The next big focus area, according to Lau, is internet of things, or IoT.
Pete Lau talks to HT about the dynamism that underlines India’s smartphone market, how they’ve built features specifically for India such as 5.5G mobile networks with Reliance Jio, camera partnership with Hasselblad, the largely intertwined roadmap for software and artificial intelligence (AI) and the investments in India. Edited excerpts.
How do you assess India’s dynamic smartphone market, and are shipment plus sales trends emerging here at odds with what you witness in other markets worldwide?
India is the second largest smartphone market in the world basis unit volume sales. According to IDC, India’s smartphone market grew 4% YoY, with shipments reaching 151 million units in 2024. This growth is attributed to multiple factors, including the rise in 5G smartphone shipments, accounting for 79% of total sales. India’s smartphone industry is poised to surpass $50 billion in 2025. By 2029, the market is expected to reach 243.4 million units, far exceeding global averages.
Additionally, we have noticed that Indians are now increasingly opting for mid-to-high-end smartphones. In recent years, we’ve seen India challenge its past label as a price-sensitive market. Indians are now eager to invest in devices that offer value and convenience in everyday functionality. In the coming years, generative AI features in smartphones will become a key differentiator beyond flagship models.
How difficult is it now to find a recipe for success, not just for flagships but also mid-range phones? Is uniqueness and innovation getting hurt, as a pursuit to match a baseline takes priority?
Creating a blockbuster product in today’s smartphone landscape, whether flagship or mid-range, is no easy feat. The Indian market, in particular, is incredibly dynamic and competitive. But at OnePlus, we’ve never believed in taking the easy route. Our users expect nothing but the best, in terms of design, performance, meaningful features and competitive pricing. We see that as an opportunity, not a constraint. While the industry increasingly gravitates toward meeting just the basic configuration standards, we’ve always chosen to go beyond the expected. For us, innovation and differentiation aren’t just checkboxes.
There are many ways in which we intend to keep raising the bar. A user-first mindset where everything starts with our community. We actively listen, engage, and co-create with them, understanding what truly matters to Indian users. This direct feedback loop helps us craft experiences that are both intuitive and impactful. Then there’s relentless innovation and we don’t stop at “good enough.” Whether it’s being the first to debut 5.5G, pioneering features like Intelligent Search or Steady Connect, we’re always pushing to deliver real-world value.
Strong brand connect is important. Last year, we marked 11 years milestone in India. Agile and localised approach is importance since India isn’t a one-size-fits-all market. We adapt fast, shaping our product strategies around regional needs and user feedback. That flexibility keeps us relevant, responsive, and always a step ahead. Community too helps co-creating ideas and refining features with user insights, We’ll continue to deliver products that stand out, not just for specs, but for the experiences they unlock.
What is OnePlus’ approach towards finding that next trump card to define a dynamic product strategy? What is OnePlus’ product vision for 2025?
It will be a multi-pronged approach. We must remain committed to building a richer portfolio of IoT products, creating a seamless interconnected ecosystem that delivers multi-device experience for users. This marks a strategic step in creating a truly smart digital lifestyle. We will soon launch more IoT products. We intend to double down on AI innovation, bringing enhanced AI features to all our smartphones and IoT lineup. These improvements will boost performance, photography, and overall user experience.
While we won’t launch foldable devices this year, we are meticulously developing this technology for the right timing. We are preparing more innovations, which will be announced in the coming months. We also will put in efforts to maintain a leading position in performance. Our next-gen flagship products will feature the latest processors, optimised cooling systems, and improved display technology.
Can you tell us a bit more about Project Starlight, what it entails and what’s the vision behind that investment?
Project Starlight is a long-term strategic initiative designed to strengthen OnePlus’s R&D, manufacturing, and service ecosystem in India. Backed by an annual investment of ₹2,000 crore every year until 2027, the project focuses on three key pillars — building more durable devices, enhancing customer service, and developing India-first innovations. One of the standout aspects of Project Starlight is our industry-first “Green-Line Worry-Free” solution, which offers a lifetime warranty on green-line display issues across all OnePlus models. This initiative reflects our deep commitment to delivering not just premium products, but also worry-free ownership which our community expects and deserves. It’s a direct response to one of the most pressing industry-wide concerns and positions OnePlus as a customer-first innovator in after-sales care.
Indian users average 5.7 hours of daily screen-on time, often in high-performance use cases like gaming and video streaming, and therefore we’re prioritising improvements in heat dissipation and connectivity seen with features like 5.5G connectivity, Steady Connect, and signal optimisation tailored for Delhi Metro. We’re also scaling our R&D capabilities in Hyderabad to tackle local challenges such as battery performance and long-term display durability, while expanding our service network to cover 28 states and over 400 cities in the next 3–5 years.
From this year, more than 100 flagship stores will begin offering advanced services like complimentary device health checks and loaner devices. Project Starlight is about more than just products, but is about building a resilient, responsive, and community-centric tech ecosystem in India.
How is OnePlus’ partnership with Hasselblad playing out, and is there pressure to get a flagship photography experience right from the outset, since rivals are also drawing expertise from other photography giants?
The imaging collaboration between OnePlus and Hasselblad began in 2021. Through this partnership, OnePlus has made significant strides in camera technology, particularly in colour accuracy, image quality, and overall shooting experience. Hasselblad’s expertise and technical support have helped OnePlus flagship devices deliver exceptional photography. It is a fiercely competitive market where rivals partner with top camera brands, and pressure is indeed heightened.
Partnering with a camera brand is not the endgame; our aim in imaging is to ensure sustained leadership through continuous technological innovation as well as user experience optimisation, constantly improving camera performance and richer AI-enhanced creative tools for users. The OnePlus 13 introduces a dual-exposure algorithm to enhance performance in snapshot scenarios. AI algorithms improve shooting in sunset, fireworks, and concert settings, eliminating the need for tedious parameter adjustments. Multi-frame RAW synthesis algorithms maximise imaging sensor’s capabilities, enabling users to take high-quality photos even in low-light conditions.
AI is becoming increasingly integral to a smartphone experience. Do you believe we are yet to achieved a sweet spot in terms of genuine AI utility versus something that’s good-to-have?
Smartphones are playing a pivotal role in furthering adoption of AI amongst end-users. We are working towards ensuring that the AI integrations in our products are truly meaningful AI. In OxygenOS 15, we launched many AI features like Intelligent Search, Circle to search, AI Detail Boost and more. We envision AI features in our devices to simplify user operations and deliver real convenience. Additionally, the future direction of AI will enable the technology to become intuitive, turning smartphones into smart assistants.
Will we continue to see a mix of in-house AI development, alongside models from the likes of Google and others? Do you feel confident OnePlus can develop unique AI functionality?
We will adopt a pragmatic approach combining in-house development with high-quality third-party models. In applying AI technology, we adhere to an experience first approach for creating truly differentiated AI features. Currently, our AI strategy focuses on three levels. First, in foundational capabilities, we invest in both in-house R&D and deep collaborations with leading AI companies like Google. Second, in product implementation, we prioritise practicality and contextualisation of AI features, with an intent to avoiding gimmicks. Finally, we aim for a seamless user experience with integration of meaningful AI into daily use, not overtly emphasising the technology itself. We understand that true AI differentiation lies not in technical specifications but in how technology serves real user needs. We will continue to deepen our efforts in this direction.
What is OnePlus’ India focus in terms of manufacturing, as well as investments into research and development?
Our commitment to “Make in India” began with the OnePlus 9, the first OnePlus phone manufactured in India, and we have continued this legacy with our latest launch, the OnePlus 13 series. Our Indian R&D team has been instrumental in driving this innovation, developing cutting-edge features like OxygenOS, advanced camera capabilities, and optimised 5G performance. Building on this momentum, Project Starlight will enable us to expand our R&D capabilities at our Hyderabad centre, to develop innovative solutions tailored to the Indian audience.
At the same time, we must maintain consistently high-quality customer service and building the service network is equally important. Currently, we have over 400 service centres in India, covering more than 19,000 post codes. Our goal is to expand to 500 service centres within two years, with a target of 86% of repairs being completed within two hours.
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All these investments have shown early results, with the OnePlus 13 series becoming the sales champion in the above INR 50,000 segment. We are also strengthening partnerships with major retailers including Reliance, Croma, and Vijay Sales to widen retail presence. We’ve achieved significant sales growth with these key mobile terminal partners, especially Bajaj and Vijay Sales.
What is India’s role, in a broader global perspective?
India has always been a strategically important market for OnePlus. Smartphone companies should consider building products tailored for the Indian market. Our internal research shows that Indian smartphone users are among the most active, with daily screen time of 5.7 hours. Due to its convenience, smartphones have become a tool for gaming, multitasking, work, and learning anywhere. This intensive usage demands durable products, and we are researching and developing devices customised for the Indian community.
Are there any hardware or OxygenOS developments that were developed in India, which later found relevance in other markets too? Do you see India becoming a hub, in that respect?
We are committed to bringing solutions tailored for the Indian market and to fuel this innovation, a significant portion of the investment in Project Starlight is also dedicated towards increasing R&D efforts to build products keeping our Indian community at the focal point.
The Green Line Worry-Free solution innovation builds on pioneering PVX sealing technology which enhances the edge bonding layer of AMOLED displays using PVX edge-sealing materials. That significantly slowing the penetration of moisture and oxygen, thereby extending a display’s lifespan. We’ve also strengthened quality control during production by simulating real-world scenarios such as extreme temperatures, humidity, and mechanical stress to ensure higher durability standards for each device. These rigorous quality measures effectively reduce product issues, enhance user satisfaction, and provide solid protection for displays.
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On the software front, research among Indian white-collar workers revealed the pain point of frequently being unable to find local documents. This led to the development of the Intelligent Search feature (supporting local document search and Q&A), which also received positive feedback when launched in Europe and the US. To address India’s complex network scenarios, we optimised network performance (reconnecting after exiting elevators, switching networks during location congestion), which also improved network stability when implemented in Europe and the US.