Samsung may soon have one less rival to worry about in the US

Samsung doesn't have as many Android rivals in the United States as it does in other markets. There are homegrown brands in many emerging markets as well as leading Chinese players, many of which aren't available in the US.

There is one Chinese brand that's popular in the US, OnePlus, and it competes against Samsung aggressively on pricing. However, things are looking a bit risky for OnePlus, and it could even be pushed out of the US.

Reuters reports that two US lawmakers, Rep. John Moolenaar and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, have called on the Commerce Department to investigate if devices sold by OnePlus in the United States pose a security threat. OnePlus phones are sold in the US by Amazon and Best Buy. They're compatible on Verizon and T-Mobile networks.

The lawmakers claim to have seen analysis from a commercial company that indicates OnePlus devices may be collecting and sending user data, including personal information, to Chinese servers without the user's consent.

These are just allegations at this point. The Commerce Department, or any government agency for that matter, hasn't launched any investigation into OnePlus yet nor have they warned citizens against using OnePlus devices. It can't be said for sure if there's even going to be an investigation, but the risk remains for OnePlus, simply because it's a Chinese company.

Similar concerns have already barred Huawei and ZTE devices from the American market. Concerns over data being sent to Chinese servers has also kept TikTok's future in the US in limbo. OnePlus hasn't commented on this as yet. For Samsung, it requires no action other than to stay on the sidelines and watch as a rival gets caught up in a political storm.