OnePlus Co-Founder Carl Pei Confirms He Is Leaving Company
Pei will part ways with OnePlus to begin a new venture
On Friday, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei announced he would be leaving the smartphone company he co-founded in a heartfelt community forum post. The director of OnePlus global for seven years, Pei led alongside CEO Pete Lau as the company grew from nothing to nearly two billion in revenue last year.
Speculation that the co-founder had left the company begun on Monday after internal documents leaked on Reddit outlining a OnePlus leadership structure without the inclusion of Pei. Rumors are swirling about the reasons behind Pei’s exodus from the company. Many believe it was a result of a power struggle between Pete Lau and Pei.
I've heard about an internal power struggle at OP for ages. Carl never felt he had enough pull, and Pete Lau has continuously increased his control over products. There was clearly tension, and I think Nord may have been the final tipping point. I bet Lau took it over.
— David "my burrito pop is dishwasher safe" Ruddock (@RDRv3) October 12, 2020
Despite these rumors, the forum post only speaks of the appreciation Pei has for the opportunities given to him by Lau. And, while we can’t be sure exactly why he left, Tech Crunch reported that he had begun a new venture.
Pei’s exit comes at a unique time as OnePlus launches their new 8T flagship. But, we know little about his contributions to this device. The last project he is known to have played a major role in is the OnePlus Nord, the budget phone the company markets as a return to their roots of creating flagship devices for budget prices.
Read our review of the OnePlus Nord: Here
The importance of Carl Pei’s role in getting the word out about OnePlus can’t be stressed enough. He provided critical product and marketing direction that put OnePlus devices in the hands of a now large and passionate fanbase. We can’t wait to see what lies ahead as we learn more details about his unknown, upcoming venture.
Hudson Labno
OnePlus is known for being a company that creates phones to “kill” big brand name flagships. And, the OnePlus 9T would be no different! But, with the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro already being great phones, some tech enthusiasts are questioning the need for a phone in the middle.