OnePlus' smartphone shipments grew by a whopping 257% globally in H1 2021

OnePlus Nord 2 review (Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

What you need to know

OnePlus registered a 257% YoY shipment growth globally in the first half of the year.
The impressive growth was driven by the company's flagship OnePlus 9 series and the mid-range Nord and Nord N series.
OnePlus emerged as the fastest-growing smartphone brand in the U.S. in H1 2021 with a 428% increase in shipment growth.

OnePlus has announced that its global smartphone shipments registered a massive 257% YoY growth in the first half of 2021. It achieved "significant sales growth" across nearly every major smartphone market — including the U.S., Europe, India, and China.

The growth was apparently driven by the company's OnePlus 9 series and mid-range Nord series phones. OnePlus' Nord N series, which is exclusive to the U.S., also played an important role. The company claims it has sold over 1 million Nord N series phones since January. OnePlus emerged as the fastest-growing smartphone brand in the U.S. in H1 2021 with a 428% growth in shipments.

OnePlus introduced the Nord series last year to take on the best cheap Android phones. While the original OnePlus Nord was aimed at the mid-range segment, OnePlus expanded its focus to the budget segment with the Nord N series.

OnePlus founder and CEO, Pete Lau said in a statement:

The growth we see now demonstrates that our approach to offering a premium experience together with competitive pricing is in line with our community's needs

OnePlus was the fastest growing brand in Europe as well, where shipments rose 304% compared to H1 2020. According to the latest Counterpoint Research India Smart Tracker for Q2 2021, OnePlus led the country's premium smartphone market with a 48% share. The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro were among the top three best-selling phones in India's ultra-premium smartphone segment. Even in China, where the company only sells its flagship OnePlus 9 series phones, shipments jumped 124% YoY in the first half of 2021.

OnePlus Nord 2

OnePlus' new Nord 2 is a solid mid-ranger with a fast Dimensity 1200 chipset, an excellent 50MP camera, and a smooth 90Hz AMOLED display. It also impresses with reliable battery life and 65W fast charging.