No longer relegated to its flagship devices only, OPPO is bringing generative AI to its full lineup of devices. That includes their Reno F and A series. By the end of the year, 50 million Oppo phones will offer generative AI, effectively making generative AI accessible to everyone.
Smartphones have evolved from mere communication tools to indispensable personal assistants. The recent integration of AI-powered features into smartphones from brands like OPPO has sparked a transformation, making them the most important personal AI devices, despite efforts by brands like Humane and Rabbit to displace smartphones from the “AI device throne.”
The journey of AI in smartphones began with simple features like predictive text and voice assistants. Over the years, these capabilities have expanded to include sophisticated functionalities such as facial recognition, augmented reality, and advanced photography enhancements.
Today, AI is a core component of most smartphones, influencing various aspects of their operation. From optimizing battery usage to improving camera quality and enabling smart home integrations, AI’s presence is ubiquitous. Consequently, smartphones have become more intuitive, responsive, and personalized than ever before.
OPPO envisions a future where AI is not a luxury limited to high-end devices but a standard feature accessible to all users. The company aims to democratize AI technology, ensuring its benefits are available to everyone, regardless of the device’s price point.
OPPO’s strategy involves embedding generative AI capabilities into all its smartphones through a comprehensive “full-stack technology” approach, where both hardware and software components are optimized to support AI functionalities. This includes everything from AI-optimized processors to advanced algorithms that enhance device performance and user experience.
By adopting a full-stack approach, OPPO is not only improving the performance of its devices but also fostering an ecosystem where AI can thrive. This ecosystem includes developers, third-party applications, and other stakeholders who can leverage OPPO’s AI capabilities to create innovative solutions.
OPPO is bringing the generative AI experience to 50 million smartphones. Here’s a demo of the AI Eraser on the Find X7 Ultra – watch how it effortlessly removes background objects from photos pic.twitter.com/OMbb7g6iOX
— Helena Stone (@HelenaStone) June 5, 2024
The full-stack technology approach is built on collaboration with third-party companies. For instance, OPPO is working with Google to integrate the powerful Google Gemini family of language models into its Reno 12 series and Find X devices. This partnership brings innovative features such as the AI Toolbox, AI Writer, and AI Recording Summary to OPPO devices, enhancing user convenience and productivity.
Through its partnership with MediaTek, OPPO is fine-tuning chip performance to enhance storage and computational efficiency, optimizing both speed and power consumption. Meanwhile, OPPO’s alliance with Microsoft focuses on improving voice and text conversion capabilities, offering more natural and efficient AI interactions.
What’s the business case for Generative AI on OPPO devices?
The market for AI phones is set to grow significantly, with shipments in the sub-US$1000 segment expected to increase by 250% in 2024, reaching 35 million units, according to IDC. This growth reflects rising consumer demand for AI-enabled devices, indicating that brands not aligning their product offerings with this demand risk losing market share to those that do.
OPPO claims to have filed over 5,000 patents related to AI inventions over the past decade. It says these patents cover a wide range of innovations, with approximately 70% focused on AI imaging, underscoring OPPO’s commitment to advancing this field.
Furthermore, since 2020, OPPO has been developing its own language models, focusing on large vision models and multimodal technology. These efforts have resulted in robust AI capabilities that OPPO believes will enhance various smartphone functions and position the brand well to capitalize on the anticipated 250% market growth.