No chip division but OPPO launches new Reno phone models
OPPO unveiled new Reno10 smartphone models on Wednesday, the first major product release after the Chinese consumer electronic giant's recent decision to cut its whole chip division.
The new Reno10 models, featuring optimized portrait photography, super-fast charging and lightweight design, will go on sale in June, with a starting price of 2,499 yuan (US$357).
It's the 10th generation of the Reno product line targeting mainstream consumers, with more than 80 million users globally, according Liu Bo, OPPO China president.
A chart based on the latest IDC report of China's smartphone sales. Sales (blue) have continued to decline more than 10 percent (yellow line) each quarter since 2022.
"OPPO continues to embellish the most commonly used user experience in Reno products with technological innovations, from image quality of portraits, thin and light design, longer battery life to fast charging and smooth experience. It's the thing that we value the most," Liu said at a media conference on Wednesday.
Prior to this product release, OPPO unexpectedly announced that it would shut down its chip division with 3,000 employees. Analysts cited challenges, including sluggish market demand, huge investment and pandemic-related difficulties, for the decision.
The new releases, covering Reno10 models, two new tablets and headphones, reveal strong confidence of OPPO, analysts added. The Dongguan-headquartered company was the No. 1 smartphone vendor in the domestic market in the first quarter.
China's smartphone market sales decreased 11.8 percent year on year to 65.4 million units in the first quarter. OPPO took the top position with a 19.6 percent market share, followed by Apple, Vivo, Honor and Xiaomi, according to researcher International Data Corp or IDC.
