(Yicai Global) Dec. 16 -- Oppo Mobile Telecommunications will invest CNY10 billion (USD1.4 billion) in its sub-brand OnePlus over the coming three years, mainly to fund research and development, news site Jiemian reported today, citing a manager at the Chinese smartphone maker.

“From now on, Oppo’s resources will be greatly tilted toward OnePlus, including its basic R&D, supply chain, channels, research institutes, and its R&D division’s leading technologies,” the report quoted the person as saying.

Oppo Vice President Liu Zuohu founded OnePlus in 2013 to target the high-end overseas smartphone market mainly through online channels. OnePlus returned to Dongguan-based Oppo as a sub-brand last year, and the two began sharing technical architecture and R&D resources.

With Oppo’s channels, OnePlus handsets, which are sold in Europe and the United States, entered 2,800 counties in China this year, opening experience points in more than 5,000 Oppo stores across the country, Jiemian added.

Though global mobile phone shipments plunged this year, many industry insiders believe the market will bottom south this quarter and then rebound. Researchers at Counterpoint predicted that the global smartphone market will grow 2 percent next year.

Editor: Futura Costaglione