(Newswire.net — January 23, 2019) —
OPPO is a Chinese mobile phone manufacturer that prides itself on producing innovative and modern smartphones with new and unusual features. Already established in China, OPPO is now expanding into new markets such as the UK and the EU, like other manufacturers such as Xiaomi.
The company began operations in 2004, after establishing the brand in 2001, and quickly became a top Chinese manufacturer. Global markets have followed slowly behind, with OPPO expanding into Thailand in 2010, followed by other Asian markets such as Singapore, and then South America and the Middle East.
By 2016, they were the top manufacturer in China and took over 6.8% of the global smartphone market share in the same year. They are now following Samsung, Huawei, and Apple for market share globally, in a tie for 4th place with Xiaomi. Through 2017 OPPO shipped over 100 million smartphones, and in the final quarter of 2018 nearly 30 million. Markets like Europe, India, Latin America, Oceania and Africa are increasingly welcoming Chinese manufacturers, and Oppo follows closely behind the Xiaomi launch in the UK.
OPPO Brings Innovative Features
The OPPO Find X phone brought international recognition to the OPPO brand, due to the “stealth 3D cameras” installed in the Find X smartphone. The front-facing camera in the Find X is embedded in the screen, hidden until the user wants to take a photo. When the user opens an app that requires the camera, the Find X extends a camera from the back of the handset. The Find X was also “one of the first phones to have no bezel whatsoever.” These unusual and original features drew international attention, and other smartphone manufacturers are now scrambling to catch up in 2019.
OPPO competing with Samsung, Huawei and Apple drives innovation, which means more choices for consumers in the UK market. Consumer prices can also drop with greater competition, and consumers can compare phone contracts as well as specifications between manufacturers. Making these comparisons and searching for the best deal means that consumers are more likely to find a cheap and high-quality phone that meets their needs.
UK Market Offerings
The OPPO K-Series K1 was released earlier in 2018, but the RX17 Pro is the smartphone creating the most interest in the UK market. The specifications of the RX17 Pro for the UK market are still uncertain, as each market may have slightly different handsets. The January 29 launch will shed more light on exactly what the phone looks like and which features it will have. At a minimum, the RX17 Pro will have an AMOLED display screen, thin bezel, and both fingerprint and facial unlocking processes. The RX17 Pro includes fingerprint unlocking in the screen itself, rather than using a button on the frame of the phone. OPPO was the first company to provide fingerprint unlocking with this method.
OPPO has already registered over 40 trademarks in the UK and Europe, indicating that they could be releasing more than just a couple of high-end models into the UK in January. In China, OPPO makes both high-end and budget phones, and all models have had great reviews in its market.
The January launch is a positive addition to the UK market, and will likely bring consumer prices down and allow new features to enter the smartphone retail scene. Consumer choice depends on innovation and corporate competition, so UK consumers should welcome the new smartphone offerings. With a well-respected company such as OPPO, customers can expect high-quality products and greater choice, as well as avant-garde features.