Editor's take: Carl Pei, one of the founders of Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus, reportedly left the company in recent weeks to start his own venture. With such a busy schedule to round out 2020, one has to wonder about the circumstances around Pei's departure and why he didn't wait until after the upcoming launches to check out.

The publication said two sources confirmed the matter, adding that Pei no longer appears in OnePlus' most recent organizational chart. No reason was given for his departure.

Pei, along with co-founder Pete Lau, started OnePlus in late 2013 after having previously worked together at Oppo. Over the years, they managed to grow the brand into a major force in the mobile industry, largely by initially targeting enthusiasts with low-priced phones featuring powerful hardware.

Android Central cited internal company memos that have surfaced on Reddit as well as a report from TechCrunch claiming Pei left to start his own venture. TechCrunch stopped short of saying what the new venture would be, but noted that Pei had "clarity on what he wishes to do next."

OnePlus is scheduled to unveil its next smartphone, the OnePlus 8T, later this week and perhaps as many as two Nord Series phones by year's end.

Masthead credit Android Authority