Realme leaves China, confirms switch to ColorOS 17 for future devices in other markets

Realme has confirmed that it is stepping away from the Chinese smartphone market as parent company OPPO reorganises its smartphone brands. The move is part of a broader strategy that also changes the role of OnePlus, with each brand now focusing on different regions to reduce overlap and make operations more efficient.  Also Read: Is OnePlus exiting India? Report suggests brand could leave market by 2027

As part of the restructuring, Realme will now concentrate almost entirely on overseas markets, while OPPO positions OnePlus to focus mainly on China. The changes also bring a major software shift, with Realme confirming that future smartphones will launch with OPPO’s ColorOS instead of Realme UI.  Also Read: OnePlus N6x India launch teased on Amazon; may be the most affordable OnePlus phone

Realme shifts focus to international markets 

In an official statement shared on Weibo, Realme’s Shen Qi said the company has decided to “press the pause button” on the Chinese market after careful consideration. He said the brand will instead direct its resources towards overseas markets, with a stronger focus on performance-oriented and gaming smartphones.  Also Read: OnePlus N6 under fire over marketing claims: Here’s what happened

According to reports, Europe will remain one of Realme’s key markets going forward. Earlier reports also suggested that the company plans to strengthen its presence in Nordic countries, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. 

For existing Realme users in China, the company said nothing changes immediately. Sales of current devices, after-sales support and warranty services will continue through OPPO’s official service network. Shen Qi also confirmed that eligible smartphones in China will receive ColorOS once the next version becomes available. 

Realme UI is being replaced by ColorOS 

One of the biggest changes announced is the end of Realme UI. The company has confirmed that future Realme smartphones will ship with ColorOS 17 instead. Realme India has also confirmed the transition, saying the move is intended to simplify software development and make the update process more streamlined. 

The company has not revealed which smartphone will be the first to arrive with ColorOS 17, although OPPO devices are expected to receive the new software before Realme’s lineup. 

The change will not be limited to upcoming devices. Realme said existing smartphones that are eligible for future Android updates will also move to ColorOS. For example, the Realme GT 8 Pro, which launched with Realme UI 7.0 and is promised four Android OS upgrades, will eventually receive ColorOS 17 and later versions. 

OPPO is bringing its software under one platform 

The software change is part of OPPO’s larger plan to bring its Android experience under a single platform. Alongside Realme UI, OnePlus’ OxygenOS is also expected to transition to ColorOS starting with Android 17. This follows the closer integration between OxygenOS and ColorOS that began in 2021. 

Bringing both Realme and OnePlus under ColorOS also helps Oppo simplify software development. Instead of maintaining three different Android skins, the company can focus its resources on one platform, making it easier to introduce new features, deliver security updates and reduce development costs. 

Realme UI already shares a lot with ColorOS, so the overall look and experience are quite similar. In fact, Realme’s early smartphones shipped with ColorOS before the company introduced Realme UI in 2020. The Realme 3 Pro and Realme XT were among the first devices to switch to Realme UI, while the Realme C3 was the first smartphone to ship with it out of the box. 

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While Realme India has confirmed the switch for the Indian market, the company has not announced timelines for every region.