5G compatibility, ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and Wimbledon sponsorships are among highlights of leading smartphone innovator’s first year
OPPO, one of the top five smartphone brands in the world, today marks one year since launching in the UK – where it has continued to pave the way for some truly milestone moments for the mobile industry.
The brand officially arrived in the UK on 29 January 2019, bringing with it a reputation for ambitious but purposeful innovation. Despite its newcomer status in what is a highly competitive market, OPPO’s user-centric approach to smartphone design has seen its catalogue of high-quality handsets, such as the flagship Find X, photography marvel Reno 10x Zoom, and the acclaimed Reno2 and Reno2 Z, positively received in the UK.
OPPO Managing Director, Kevin Cho, says the brand’s commitment to adopting and developing new mobile technologies is pivotal to its early recognition in the UK and ongoing success globally. “We knew when entering the UK that the handset market is saturated and consumers are more selective about upgrading their device. This gave us an opportunity to bring our innovations to the surface and launch products that will excite consumers again.
“Over the course of our first year, we brought the same qualities that have seen us become one of the top five smartphone brands in the world and adapted them specifically to meet the expectations UK smartphone users,” said Kevin Cho.
“From packing flagship quality features into beautiful designs like the RX17 Pro to boasting the fastest charging capabilities on the market with SuperVooc 2.0, and, of course, launching one of UK’s first 5G compatible phones with Reno 5G, it’s been an exciting start.”
While launching in one of Europe’s biggest smartphone markets is an achievement in itself, OPPO was quick to ensure its ambitions and long-term dedication to bringing the latest and greatest mobile technologies to UK consumers were clear.
OPPO UK 2019 milestones at a glance
- 29 January 2019 – OPPO officially launched in the UK with leading retailer Carphone Warehouse, introducing three new smartphones – OPPO RX17 Pro and RX17 Neo, as well as bringing its flagship smartphone Find X to UK consumers for the first time
- 24 April 2019 – OPPO announced the UK’s first 5G compatible smartphone, Reno 5G, available with EE, at European launch event
- 25 April 2019 – OPPO became the first mobile brand to sponsor The Championships, Wimbledon after penning a five-year partnership
- 30 May 2019 – OPPO’s sponsorship of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 saw the brand work with England Cricket team Vice-Captain Jos Buttler to launch its Cricket World Cup campaign in the UK
- 14 September 2019 – OPPO partnered with Global Design Forum to showcase its eye for innovative design as part of London Design Festival. OPPO also teamed up with the acclaimed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma to present a large outdoor installation ‘Bamboo (竹) Ring: Weaving into Lightness’, which was installed in the John Madejski Garden at the V&A Museum
- 16 October 2019 – OPPO launched the Reno2 Series at the English National Ballet in London, unveiling two new devices, Reno2 and Reno 2 Z
- 24 October 2019 – O2 was announced as the second carrier to offer 5G capability with OPPO’s Reno 5G
- 10 December 2019 – OPPO revealed its latest innovations at its INNO Day event in China, including under-screen camera technology, 5G ecosystem and AR glasses
o A number of UK media were offered a behind-the-scenes look at OPPO’s production facilities in Shenzhen
o OPPO revealed it is set to invest some $7 billion in IoT developments over the next few years
OPPO 2020: MWC and beyond
In 2020, OPPO plans to roll out a broader range of smart devices in the UK and globally, starting with its next flagship product launch at MWC 2020. The company recently announced that in the next three years it will devote an R&D budget of around $7 billion to developing new technologies in mobile hardware and software, in addition to developments in 5G/6G, AI, AR, big data and other emerging mobile technologies.
“The technology world is always moving forward, so while we’re extremely pleased with what we’ve achieved over the past year, the focus is very much on what comes next and how we can continue to innovate in a meaningful way,” said Kevin Cho.
“As a brand, OPPO has always been about more than just phones – smartphones are one of many areas of the smart tech space we will be continuing to explore in 2020 and beyond.”