Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article is that realme is undergoing significant restructuring, including layoffs and a return to OPPO as a sub-brand due to poor sales performance [2][3]. - In late 2025, realme initiated two rounds of layoffs, primarily affecting hardware and software development departments, with some teams experiencing over 50% layoffs [2][3]. - A realme employee indicated that the layoffs were attributed to "poor sales this year" and a need for "cost reduction and efficiency improvement" [2][3]. Group 2 - On January 7, 2026, OPPO confirmed that realme would return as a sub-brand, aiming to enhance collaboration and resource integration among OPPO, realme, and OnePlus [2][4]. - The layoffs at realme were described as "normal personnel changes" by a company representative, despite the significant impact on the workforce [2][3]. - The restructuring follows realme's history of being incubated by OPPO, becoming independent in 2018, and now returning to OPPO's umbrella, with India being its largest market [3].

Core Viewpoint - OPPO has announced that realme will return as a sub-brand under its umbrella to enhance resource integration and collaboration, confirmed by OPPO insiders [2]. Group 1: Company Restructuring - The internal communication from OPPO states that OPPO, realme, and OnePlus will work together to provide more innovative and differentiated products and better services to global users [2]. - Realme has undergone significant layoffs in late 2025, particularly affecting hardware, structure, and software R&D departments, with some departments experiencing over 50% layoffs [2][3]. - A realme employee indicated that the layoffs were attributed to poor sales performance and necessary cost-cutting measures, with the company planning to adjust its product lines [3]. Group 2: Sales Performance - Despite the layoffs, realme's management described the personnel changes as normal year-end adjustments, and preparations for the Neo product launch in January 2026 are ongoing [3]. - Internal discussions within realme highlighted ongoing concerns about poor sales, with a notable mention of the company's global smartphone sales surpassing 300 million units as of August 5, 2025 [3]. Group 3: Market Position and Strategy - Realme initially launched in the Indian market, with its first product, Realme 1, exclusively available on Amazon India, before returning to the Chinese market in May 2019 [4]. - As of the end of 2025, India remains realme's largest single market globally, and the specifics of how the merger with OPPO will affect its operations in China are still being determined [4].

Core Insights - Realme will return to OPPO as a sub-brand, enhancing resource integration and collaboration within the company [1] - OPPO will now manage three brands: OPPO, Realme, and OnePlus [1] - Realme's CEO, Li Bingzhong, will lead the sub-brand business, while OnePlus China President, Li Jie, will maintain his current responsibilities [1] Group 1 - Realme was initially launched as a sub-brand of OPPO in the Indian market and gained popularity with its first product, Realme 1, in May 2018 [1] - After becoming independent, Realme successfully established itself in various overseas markets, including India, Malaysia, and Thailand, before returning to the domestic market in 2019 [1] - Despite its independent operations in branding and market management, Realme has continued to rely on OPPO's resources for supply chain, procurement, and manufacturing [1] Group 2 - Realme's product strategy focuses on high cost-performance, with the Neo series targeting gamers and emphasizing high performance, fast charging, and strong heat dissipation [2] - The digital series of Realme is positioned in the mid-range market, often featuring highlights in imaging and design [2] - As of December 21, 2025, Realme is projected to hold a cumulative market share of 1.27% in the domestic smartphone market, ranking seventh [2] Group 3 - The integration of Realme into OPPO signifies the completion of business consolidation for OPPO's sub-brands, enhancing its product matrix to cover a wide range of consumer needs from budget to high-end [2] - Realme users will benefit from direct access to OPPO's offline service centers for after-sales support [2] - There are concerns regarding potential product overlap between Realme, OnePlus, and OPPO, raising questions about future product line planning [2]