With the success of the A57 and continued success of the R11, Oppo now has the two best-selling Android Phones in the world.
Oppo hasn’t even properly reached western shores, yet the Chinese company is already fourth in worldwide smartphone sales. Their recent release of the A57 in Asia has been a huge success, with the overall device sales eclipsing the Samsung Galaxy S8. In terms of worldwide sales figures for July 2017, the device was fourth on the list, capturing 2.0% of the overall share. The Oppo R11 fared even better with 2.1%. Only the Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus managed to eclipse these handsets, making them the two highest selling Android handsets in the world. Apple still has a significant lead over the rest however, with the iPhone 7 having double the number of market share over the A57.
It’s a pretty crazy statistic, especially when you consider that globally, Samsung still has the majority market share. Oppo’s success can be put down in large part to their aggressive focus on the mid-range in emerging and middle-eastern markets. Users typically can’t afford a flagship but also want the quality that comes with it, making their aesthetically premium handsets a lucrative purchase. They’ve also gone a long way to pave some pretty innovative camera technology, such as the optical zoom demonstrated at this years MWC.
Another defining factor was marketing strategy. The company insists on selling their products offline, with only 5% of sales coming from online channels. Operating over 200,000 stores in China alone, the company prefers to use online for marketing their handsets, while the final sale will happen offline when the user gets to test the handset firsthand. Combine this with a generous commission rate on sales and stores feel more inclined to push Oppo handsets, turning them into the player they are today.
Ultimately, as the company gets bigger, their handset range will also continue to grow. Oppo already has a pretty huge catalog of handsets available, encompassing no less than 20. The company already now its sight set on the flagship range, having established a firm footing in the mid-range.