OnePlus was founded by Pete Lau (co-founder and CEO) along with Carl Pei in December 2013 in Shenzhen, China. Pete Lau remains the driving force behind the brand today, while Carl Pei left OnePlus in 2020 to start his own company, Nothing.
The Story Behind OnePlus's Founding
OnePlus didn't emerge from a massive corporate lab or years of secretive R&D. It started as a small, ambitious spin-off with a simple but bold mission: build flagship-quality smartphones without the flagship price tag.
Pete Lau, a former Vice President at Oppo (a major Chinese electronics manufacturer), left his stable position to launch something new. He teamed up with Carl Pei, a young marketing-savvy entrepreneur, and together they registered OnePlus in Shenzhen, China, in December 2013.
Their combined skill sets complemented each other well:
Pete Lau brought deep hardware and manufacturing experience from his Oppo background.
Carl Pei brought fresh marketing ideas and a knack for building hype and community engagement.
This partnership shaped both the product philosophy and the unconventional way OnePlus introduced itself to the world.
Who Is Pete Lau?
Pete Lau is considered the true architect of OnePlus and continues to lead the company as CEO. Before starting OnePlus, he spent years at Oppo, where he gained hands-on experience in smartphone design and production.
Lau is often associated with the phrase "Never Settle," which became OnePlus's early tagline and reflected his philosophy: build phones with premium specs, refined design, and smooth performance—without unnecessary compromises.
Under his leadership, OnePlus grew from a niche invite-only brand into a globally recognized smartphone maker.
Who Is Carl Pei?
Carl Pei co-founded OnePlus alongside Pete Lau and played a major role in shaping the brand's identity in its early years. He was known for:
Building an engaged online community before the first phone even launched
Popularizing the "invite system," which made OnePlus phones feel exclusive
Driving aggressive social media and guerrilla marketing campaigns
In 2020, Pei left OnePlus to found Nothing, a consumer tech company known for transparent-design earbuds and smartphones. His departure marked a shift in OnePlus's public-facing strategy, though the company remained profitable and continued releasing new devices.
How OnePlus Built Its Identity Early On
A few strategic decisions set OnePlus apart from competitors in its first few years:
Strategy | Purpose |
|---|---|
Invite-only sales | Created exclusivity and demand |
Flagship specs at lower prices | Attracted tech enthusiasts and value-focused buyers |
Community-driven marketing | Reduced dependence on traditional advertising |
"Never Settle" branding | Positioned the company as a challenger to Samsung and Apple |
This approach helped OnePlus stand out in a crowded smartphone market dominated by established giants.
OnePlus Today
OnePlus is now part of the BBK Electronics family of brands, which also includes Oppo, Vivo, and Realme. Despite this connection, OnePlus operates its own product line and continues to target performance-focused users who want high-end features without paying premium flagship prices.
Pete Lau still oversees the company's direction, and OnePlus has expanded well beyond smartphones into categories like:
Wireless earbuds
Smartwatches
Tablets
Smart TVs (in select markets)
