OnePlus 'same serial number/IMEI already exists' issue gets acknowledged, devs working on it

OnePlus has quickly become one of the most popular Android OEMs amongst tech enthusiasts. While the company started off with ‘flagship killers’, the latest OnePlus 8 Pro is no longer a flagship killer, instead, it’s a true flagship that takes on offerings from the likes of Samsung.

The company has come a long way since it first started out in terms of the software and hardware it offers. As a matter of fact, OnePlus was one of the first OEMs to release a phone with a 90Hz refresh rate OLED display. Although, these OLED displays do seem to have black crush and color tinting issues.

Making matters worse, it appears that many OnePlus users are now reporting a new issue. According to users, they are now getting an error that says ‘same serial number/IMEI already exists’. The error displays when users open the OnePlus Care application on their device.

We’re seeing dozens of reports flooding in on the company’s community forum. Therefore, it’s safe to say that the issue is widespread. For reference, we’ve added a screenshot of the exact error message noticed by all along with some reports from users below:

OnePlus same Serial/IMEI number already exists error

In my brand new Oneplus Nord mobile (purchased through Amazon.in) Care app showing pop-up as “a oneplus smartphone with same serial number/IMEI already exists”. I have raised complaint 3 days back but didn’t get any update as of now.
(Source)

When I open OnePlus care app in my OnePlus nord
It shows that A OnePlus device with same serial no. Or same imei no. Already exists
(Source)

So as others have posted, I as well have an invalid imei issue with a OnePlus 7T (T-Mobile) directly from OnePlus in full. T-Mobile unlocked the device without issue, but now I cannot get the unlock token. I have contacted support, sent screen shots, and they even told me there is nothing that I can do at this point other than wait. My worry is that they will not unlock it and it will take longer than the the return time they allotted. I don’t want to be stuck with a phone I can’t properly use.
(Source)

When I ever I opened one plus care app i am getting an error same imei no exists. How can this happen is my phone cloned
(Source)

Of course, these aren’t the only reports from users. In case you wish to see more reports you can check them out from here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. As you can see, the issue is affecting users on a wide-scale and there appears to be no apparent reasons for the appearance of the error.

Fortunately, it seems that OnePlus hasn’t turned a blind eye to the problem. A OnePlus Staff Member on the community forum has stated that the company’s development team is already working on fixing the problem.

We’ve made a note of it and our developer team is currently working on this. We’ll keep you posted regarding any further updates.

Meanwhile, we appreciate your patience and efforts so far.

The Staff Member has not provided an ETA as to when users can expect to see the fix for the OnePlus IMEI issue. Thus, OnePlus users who are experiencing the problem may have to wait a while. Users can at least find some solace in knowing that they do not own a duplicate phone.

That being said, OnePlus device owners now have the Android 11 update to look forward to. Head here to see whether or not your OnePlus phone is eligible for it. Further, check out our OnePlus Android 11 update tracker to know when it arrives on your device.

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