Oppo, a leading global smartphone brand, will set aside an R&D budget of RMB50 billion ($7 billion) over the next three years to develop core technologies in hardware, software and system in addition to 5G/6G, AI, AR, big data and other frontier technologies, said Tony Chen, founder and CEO, Oppo.
Chen made the announcement at Oppo Inno Day 2019 in Shenzhen, China under the theme of ‘Create Beyond Boundaries’, revealing its insights and initiatives for the era of intelligent connectivity.
At the event, Oppo also showcased a variety of smart devices including smart watches, smart headphones, 5G CPE, AR glasses along with key technological breakthroughs in areas such as flash charging, 5G, imaging and software optimization.
“As the adoption of 5G and AI ramp up, intelligent connectivity is increasingly within reach. We believe the concept of connection is just the foundation, whereas the integration and convergence of things will be the future,” Chen added.
“The concept of intelligent connectivity comprises four key parts, including the convergence of technology and service, the convergence of organization, the convergence of culture and the convergence of technology, arts and humanities.”
“Oppo has been more than just a phone maker from the outset. In fact, smartphones have simply been a gateway for Oppo to deliver a diverse portfolio of technological services. For Oppo and even the entire industry, there won't be any company solely focusing on smartphones,” Chen highlighted.
In order to seize 5G opportunities, Oppo plans to implement three key strategies. For a start, the company will remain committed to core technology R&D to develop world-leading tech; second, Oppo will build a multi-portal ecosystem of intelligent devices with smartphones serving as the key gateway; and finally, Oppo will continue to rethink user service and optimize its content and service offerings.
Levin Liu, Oppo vice president and head of Oppo Research Institute said added that Oppo plans to launch smart watches, smart wireless headphones and 5G CPE in the first quarter of 2020.
During the event, Oppo and IHS Markit, a leading global information provider, jointly released the whitepaper titled, “Intelligent Connectivity: Unleashing Opportunities with the Power of 5G, AI and Cloud.” By illustrating the trends and prospects of the industry in the era of intelligent connectivity powered by 5G, the whitepaper provides suggestions and guidelines for the future development of an intelligent and converged ecosystem.