MANILA -- OPPO is bringing its Reno line to the Philippines in June, seeking a "big transition" to the premium segment with powerful zoom cameras that rival those on Chinese compatriot Huawei's offerings.
The top-tier Reno, like the P30 Pro, can zoom up to 10 times with minimal loss to image quality due to combined hardware and software capabilities.
The OPPO Find X from 2018, with its motorized selfie and rear cameras, heralded the company's expansion into the territory of Huawei's P and Mate series, Samsung's S and Note lines and Apple's iPhones, said OPPO Philippines vice president for marketing Jane Wan.
"This is where Reno will come to play," Wan told ABS-CBN News. "Reno will be unlike any of the other smartphone lines we’ve released."
The Reno's front-facing camera is concealed in a motorized, shark's fin-shaped module while 3 rear cameras are stacked vertically on its back. It runs Android 9 overlaid with OPPO's ColorOS 6 and is powered with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855.
BIG TRANSITION
OPPO is releasing models with higher price tags after securing its place in the mass market segment and as Huawei, the world's second largest smartphone-maker, battles US sanctions that threaten to cut its access to Google's Android mobile software.
The Shenzhen-based brand is making a "big transition" to an "overall expert in mobile technology" from selfie-centered phones, Wan said.
Five years since its launch in the Philippines, OPPO accounts for roughly a quarter of the local smartphone market as of end 2019 and its share is "growing continuously," Wan said.
"Filipinos are becoming more and more critical of what smartphones they purchase. It has gone beyond buying a phone for its brand, but buying it because of its value for money. It’s all about which brand can offer more," she said.
A high-quality camera is important for Filipino consumers, she said.
Asked about the US crackdown in Chinese tech giants that has ensnared ZTE and Huawei, Wan said: "We believe that doing our own thing well is what’s most important... More than anything, we are most focused on continuously improving our technology and design innovation capabilities."
OPPO observes "strict provisions on the laws and regulations in every local market we are present in," she said.
The recently released F11 Pro, with a 6.5-inch screen, dual rear cameras, a pop-up selfie camera and 20-watt fast charging, is priced at under P18,990. Wan said sales exceeded the company's target by 20 percent.
OPPO, whose sales agents in green shirts are a common fixture in shopping malls, has 5,000 concept and retail stores in 21 regions. It is looking at expanding partnerships with finance organizations to grow sales, Wan said.
"The smartphone industry competition is cutthroat. There’s always something new coming out and everything happens fast," she said. "To keep up with the competition, we always have to offer something fresh and exciting."
source: news.abs-cbn.com
