Shenzhen, China-based smartphone manufacturer, OnePlus, launched its R&D center in Hyderabad, India, its fourth after Shenzhen, Taiwan, and the U.S. On the occasion, OnePlus co-founder and CEO Pete Lau said, “We are looking at India as a global talent hub for the company. The idea is to have a long-term approach, bringing the best of talent and training them and have them work with us over the long term…. We anticipate that India will be our largest R&D base in three or more years.”
The focus, Lau said, is on using software and technologies like artificial intelligence to make a global impact. He added that there is ‘significant untapped potential’ in the Indian market as the premium segment accounts for 4-5 percent of the overall smartphone shipment.
India is a key market for smartphone players as it continues to grow at a strong pace. According to research firm International Data Corporation, smartphone shipments in India reached an all-time high of 42.6 million units in the July-September 2018 quarter, registering a year-on-year growth of 9.1 percent.
