Smartphone maker Oppo looks to continue growth in Europe and Latin America

Chinese smartphone maker Oppo is planning to expand its international activities in important key markets of Europe and Latin America. The focus is on premium devices; Oppo sees more growth potential in this area. In addition, production capacities will be further expanded in countries other than China. However, new cell phone models from this manufacturer are currently not officially available in Germany due to patent disputes.

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Earlier this year, Oppo and Nokia were able to reach a settlement in a patent dispute, after which the Chinese manufacturer announced in late February that it would be bringing its smartphones back to Europe. However, there are now more patent disputes, with InterDigital being one of the most notorious patent exploiters in the United States. Another well-known Chinese manufacturer, Lenovo, reached an agreement with InterDigital earlier this month to allow Motorola cell phones to be sold again in Germany.

Investment despite patent disputes

Oppo has not yet resolved its patent dispute with InterDigital, but still wants to continue investing in Europe to gain more ground, especially in the premium segment. Billy Zhang, marketing and sales head of Oppo’s overseas operations, said in an interview. “We are continuing to invest in our products, our people, our marketing and our customer relationships in Europe,” he said. German Oppo website However, it currently shows “No product information” and states that “some products are not available in Germany, including Reno 8 series, Find N2 Flip”.

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The series of flagship smartphones introduced in China with the name “Oppo Find X8” will also be launched in Europe, Zhang confirmed, according to a South China Morning Post reportJust last month, Oppo had extended its sponsorship deal with the UEFA Champions League till 2027. “The European market is characterized by high prices and prestigious brands, so it is a high-value market that we cannot avoid,” Zhang said.

Oppo is number 4 worldwide, but not in Europe

According to market researchers at IDC, Oppo was ranked fourth behind Samsung, Apple and Xiaomi with 9 percent market share for smartphones worldwide. Market share looks similar in terms of the top three spots in Europe, but on our continent Realme and Tecno claim the fourth and fifth spots. Oppo may still be able to hold on here once the pending patent disputes are resolved.

According to Zhang, although the market situation in Europe is relatively stable, the demand for artificial intelligence functions in smartphones may bring changes. Oppo had announced it in early June this year. Therefore the demand for AI smartphones is increasing rapidly. That’s why Oppo wants to add AI functions to 50 million smartphones this year.

In addition to growing efforts in Europe, Oppo is also focusing internationally on the highly populated countries of South America, particularly Brazil and Mexico. The Chinese manufacturer already operates a factory in Brazil as well as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Egypt and Turkey. According to Zhang, Oppo recently took second place in the Chinese smartphone market, but 60 percent of its products are shipped to international markets.

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