OPPO is gearing up to launch its first smartphones of the year, and by all accounts, the upcoming Reno7 series looks quite promising. Among other aspects, the design and camera capabilities seem to be the key talking points. OPPO and MediaTek have already confirmed that the Reno7 Pro will be making use of the latter’s Dimensity 1200 MAX SoC, a custom chipset designed with the help of MediaTek’s Open Resource Architecture, along with 65W Supervooc charging. We caught up Tasleem Arif – Vice President, India R&D Head – OPPO, to discuss the highlights of the upcoming smartphones and the company’s plans for the year.
Q. Let’s start with OPPO’s first launch for 2022 – the Reno7 Series. Please give us some highlights and what we can expect from the phones.
A. We are launching the Reno7 series in India on February 4th, 2022. We have collaborated with Sony and co-designed the industry’s first exclusive 32MP IMX709 selfie camera sensor. For its rear 50MP camera, it uses the Sony IMX766 flagship sensor.
The IMX709 is a customised RGBW (red, blue, green, white) front image sensor that can capture crisper and more evenly exposed photos and videos; it is 60 percent more sensitive to light and reduces noise by 30 percent when compared to traditional RGB sensors. OPPO’s imaging R&D team incorporated DOL-HDR technology into the hardware to minimise noise and produce detailed images in low light conditions. This technology enables the sensor to capture two images simultaneously, allowing one long exposure image and one short exposure image to combine seamlessly. It also reduces ghosting effects to produce crisp images, both indoors and outdoors. The Reno7 Pro can shoot great-looking images under any light. With its pro DOF (depth of field) and Bokeh algorithms, the Reno7 series produces DSLR-like portrait images.
The Reno7 series is also equipped with innovative image algorithms, such as Portrait Mode and AI Highlight Video. For instance, while filming portrait videos at night, retaining image brightness and clarity has always been a challenge. AI Highlight Video automatically optimises videos upon detecting dimly lit or backlit surroundings. So, whether shooting at night or during the day, AI Highlight Video will capture vivid portrait videos on both the front and rear cameras. Additionally, OPPO has optimised the algorithms to reconstruct the Bokeh light spot in a way that is similar to the effects seen on DSLR cameras. We are affirmative that our industry-first camera technology will set a new benchmark in portrait imaging and videography.
Additionally, the OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G takes smartphone performance a notch higher with its exclusively customised 5G chipset – MediaTek Dimensity 1200 MAX. The upgraded SoC born out of this collaboration is called the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 MAX. The work put in by OPPO has resulted in an enhanced display, better imaging capabilities and clearer videos when compared to the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 in the Reno6 Pro.
The 5G MediaTek Dimensity 1200 MAX features one of the fastest smartphone CPUs. It comprises the 3GHz Arm Cortex-A78 and achieves up to 5100Mbps peak downlink and 700Mbps uplink speeds. Thanks to MediaTek’s Open Resource Architecture, OPPO has incorporated AI Deblur technology into the chipset. This proprietary deblurring algorithm sharpens faces in portraits affected by hand-held shaking. Additionally, the AI-PQ (picture quality) feature baked into the SoC enhances colour and contrast in HDR videos. It uses artificial intelligence to distinguish the subject matter on the screen — whether people, food, grass, sky, buildings, etc — and then uses different colours, sharpness, and other display effects for optimum output.
The series comes with other features like 65W SuperVOOC flash charging, ColorOS 12, 4,500mAh battery amongst others. Further, the Reno7 series comes with OPPO’s new ColorOS 12 that is based on Android 12.
Q. Recently we’ve seen colour-changing back panels and other design innovations from smartphone brands. Is OPPO planning something big this year as far as phone design is concerned?
A. Reno Series is well known for its design language. The series rewrites the smartphone design story with its industry-first aircraft-grade LDI technology. LDI, which is used to design PCBs in the aviation industry, has been repurposed to create 1.2 million micro-etchings—just 20 microns in width—across the surface of the handset’s back cover. It creates a visual and textural illusion of shooting stars. These micron-scale etchings give the devices a matte in-hand feel and brushed finish on top of the OPPO Glow layer. Another signature of the Reno Series – the stunning OPPO Glow process. OPPO Glow creates millions of tiny, microscopic crystals on the cover to give the phone a glittering visual effect.
Another first is the Orbit Breathing Light. The Reno7 Pro also uses 3D “breathing” lights around the camera module where a 1mm diameter fibre is bent to frame the camera area. Whenever the phone receives a call, message, or during charging the fibre emits soft, pulsating lights. This is also the first time that OPPO is using coated ceramics to decorate the rear camera module. The additional coating creates a dazzling effect and softer appearance, providing contrast to the metal embellishment surrounding the main camera.
The series has 2.5D glass applied to both the front and back of the phone to give minimal look. The Reno7 Pro, built over an aluminium frame, is the slimmest Reno ever, with a thinness of 7.45mm and a total weight of only about 180g. The Reno7 is about 7.81mm thin and approximately 173g in weight.
Q. Why wasn’t the Find X3 Pro launched in India? Can we expect OPPO to launch flagship phones in the country this year?
A. Each OPPO smartphone product launch plan considers the company’s current market strategy, and the Find X series is no exception. The market strategy for each generation of the Find X series has been different and is designed to reflect worldwide market development and user preferences at the time of launch. OPPO will continue to create products and services with user experience at their core, so please stay tuned with us for more new products and cutting-edge technology from OPPO in the near future.
Q. What about the Find N and the Air Glass? Can we expect to see them in India? If yes, can you give us an idea when?
A. We are elated with the great response received from the tech community worldwide on the OPPO FIND N and the OPPO Air Glass.
The devices are a genuine specimen of the brand’s vision for creating technology for mankind and kindness for the world. We will continue to showcase our latest innovations across the globe. However, any market strategy is a product of multiple analyses related to the markets. While these are China-only products, for now, we will keep you posted on any announcements regarding the products’ availability in other markets overseas.
Q. What can we expect from OPPO this year as far as smartphones are concerned?
A. We have an exciting product lineup planned for our Indian customers in 2022. We will be sharing related communication, soon.
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