Exclusive | Hardware distinction finding meaningless, ColorOS software program a ‘massive’ differentiator for us: Oppo

In a sea of commoditised hardware exactly where every single brand desires to throw every thing but the kitchen sink at you, Oppo is taking the road much less taken. The distinction from a hardware standpoint is currently finding relatively meaningless, it believes. The narrative in the smartphone sector can’t be just about speed and megapixel count any longer. Software is important. Which is why, it is investing “deeply” about how ColorOS — which is the operating program driving its phones — is becoming constructed, today and in the future.

“There’s only so much hardware innovation one can drive, and so for us, the focus really is on delivering an exceptional videography experience, and then ensuring that the upgrades that we make and the innovations that we build around our software, which is ColorOS, allows consumers to have an unparalleled experience,” Oppo India CMO, Damyant Singh Khanoria tells TheSpuzz Online.

Khanoria is taking us by way of the nitty-gritties of the lately launched Reno 6 series highlighting its video prowess with an “industry first Bokeh Flare Portrait Video” and “cinematic bokeh flare effects in portraits” AI chops.

“If you look at the Bokeh Flare Portrait Video, it’s a ColorOS-driven feature. Of course, hardware has a role, like if you didn’t have the relevant hardware it obviously won’t work, but the secret sauce is really going to be the OS in the time to come. That’s what we feel is going to be the future. That’s what’s going to distinguish how one brand is going to stand out vis-à-vis the others.”

ColorOS will be a “massive” differentiator for Oppo in the days to come even though Khanoria admits, there’s a extended way to go in definitely establishing it as a distinct and really capable operating program.

“The amount of work that goes into the OS, the number of things it’s capable of doing and the scale of differentiation we can drive with ColorOS as a brand, we’ve not done (complete) justice to it yet,” he says, adding “you’ll see a lot more around ColorOS in the months and years to come. It’s a big priority for us.”

Over the course of time, the Reno — now a thriving series of smartphones — story has transitioned into a story of subtle refinements. Those that could look iterative on very first look but go a extended way in enhancing the user practical experience. Design is its other distinctive proposition.

“Over 20 patents have gone into the manufacturing of the Reno Glow 2.0 (seen on the Reno 6 series). From a design standpoint we’re extremely proud of the craftsmanship that’s gone into the product.”

Reno series item technique

For Oppo, the Reno series has been about establishing itself in the 30-40k value segment. The Reno 6 Pro India value is Rs 39,999. This is for the version with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. An 8GB/128GB version of the Reno 5 Pro price Rs 35,990 at launch. That’s the explanation why we haven’t seen a Reno 5 Pro Plus in India. That’s the explanation why the Reno 6 Pro Plus is not coming to India either.

“The moment you move over Rs 40,000, the relative size of the segment and the number of competitors that exist there dramatically increase. So, for us in the current day and time, we feel we have a real opportunity of dominating the 30-40k price segment and that’s what we’re really focusing on,” Khanoria says, even though he is also speedy to add that, “over a period, as we really deepen our market share in this segment, we will think about getting more devices.”

Right now, it is about dominating a segment that it has been focusing on just before spreading more than quite a few distinct devices.

Aspiring to be quantity one

The pandemic has made smartphones an indispensable commodity. Their utility can’t be stressed adequate. But although that is great news for smartphone makers like Oppo, it should brave larger challenges. Its omnichannel technique is on “boosters” proper now, Khanoria says. Offline has extended been its forte, now, it is doubling down on how deeply it functions with its e-commerce partners (such as from a promoting standpoint as effectively). It has set up its personal e-commerce play with the Oppo E-retailer.

“We’re targeting close to 50% of our overall e-commerce sales coming through platforms like Flipkart and Amazon. There’s a real aspiration to drive business via the e-commerce platforms.”

With Flipkart, for instance, Oppo is providing its devices by way of intelligent upgrades so a purchaser requires to only spend 70% of the worth for a item early on and then spend the balance 30% immediately after a year.

“We’re always open to new ways of doing business, new ways of reaching consumers and just re-articulating how we’re doing, what we do. We have a fairly strong sense of purpose around how we’re going to approach the next three or four years,” he adds.

The aim is to at some point grow to be the quantity one smartphone brand in India. Xiaomi holds the title at the moment.

“We’re here to really win as a company, as a brand, and I think that’s the reason why we’ve invested as deeply as we have.”

Speaking of rivals – specifically Xiaomi – who’ve began exploring the life style space lately, Khanoria says, “we cannot be distracted by what competitors are doing because their truths and their philosophy of why they do what they do is there’s. Our truth is around creating products that help humanity or inspire humanity to use technology in meaningful ways.”

Oppo is on the proper track, Khanoria says. Pretty significantly every single item it has launched so far has received positive response. The Reno 6 series has recorded 178% improve on the very first day of sales versus the Reno 5, which was launched in January.

“All this gives us a strong sense of belief in our India story and we believe we’re doing the right things. If we keep consumers at the centre of how we make decisions and we keep creating the amazing products that we’ve been creating, that Holy Grail of being the best in the industry is going to be ours very soon.”

The Oppo India story

Khanoria attributes Oppo’s achievement in India to a strong sales network, distinct promoting platform, and seamless manufacturing and R&ampD and going the entire hog in each and every of these important strategic initiatives.

The brand has a important offline presence with more than 180 exclusive retailers, 60,000 sales points, and 4 flagship retailers in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Ahmedabad. It has more than 500 exclusive service centres. It has its personal chat help group on WhatsApp to resolve queries.

“Our offline presence is fairly significant already. If anything, we’re probably going to focus on our exclusive shopping environments (going forward). These are destination stores for our consumers, and I think this is something that we are looking at amplifying in the years to come.”

Oppo’s celebrity tie-ups require no introduction. From Bollywood to cricket, it is recognized for its meticulous campaigns, anything that Khanoria says has “established the Oppo brand as one which does things differently.”

The third pillar, which is nearby manufacturing, is maybe the most pertinent. Oppo claims it tends to make one smartphone every single 3 seconds at its 110-acre “Superfactory” in Noida. The facility established in 2016, is aspect of the brand’s Rs 2,200 crore investment in the nation. Oppo has also committed 3 and a half thousand crores to the electronic manufacturing cluster.

From an R&ampD standpoint, it has established one of its biggest R&ampD centres outdoors of China in Hyderabad that is driving innovation about its camera tech and assisting ColorOS emerge as anything which can be helpful for its shoppers in India. Oppo has additional signed memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with state governments in Kerala and Telangana.

“So, what we’re really looking at doing from a foundational standpoint is really supporting the start-up community as well, providing them with the infrastructure that they need to create and innovate for our industry.”

| “India is a market of strategic importance, 5G and IoT to be key focus areas in 2021,” says Oppo

Originally appeared on: TheSpuzz