Just hours after OnePlus announced the end of OxygenOS and its withdrawal from new product launches in the US and Europe, Chinese smartphone maker Realme has revealed a major overhaul of its own. The company has confirmed that it is pausing its smartphone business in China while also retiring realme UI in favour of ColorOS 17. The announcement came through an open letter titled “Dear true fans”, published by Realme founder Xu Qi, outlining the company’s next phase of growth. Here’s everything you need to know about Realme’s latest strategy shift.
Realme To Pause China Business, Focus On Overseas Markets
In his letter, Xu Qi described the move as a carefully considered decision, saying the company would “press the pause button on the China market” after “repeated deliberation.”
Rather than expanding further at home, the Chinese tech giant says it will redirect its resources towards overseas markets, with a stronger emphasis on performance-focused smartphones and gaming devices. The decision comes at a time when Oppo-owned brands appear to be reshaping their global strategy. While OnePlus is stepping away from the US and Europe, Realme is shifting its attention beyond China. For existing customers in China, the company says there will be no disruption to support. According to Xu Qi, all sales services and after-sales warranty support for current Realme devices will now be handled by Oppo’s official service network.
ColorOS 17 Will Replace Realme UI
The smartphone maker has now confirmed that ColorOS 17, based on Android 17, will replace realme UI across future devices. Existing users with eligible smartphones will also receive the option to switch to ColorOS once the update becomes available. The move mirrors OnePlus’ recently announced transition away from OxygenOS, bringing multiple Oppo-owned brands onto a single software platform. The shift is expected to simplify software development and streamline future updates across the broader Oppo ecosystem.
