China’s smartphone giants target India with new devices under separate sub-brands
Oppo is set to launch a new budget-priced device under its Realme brand, a separate line created for India’s growing smartphone market
China’s major smartphone companies are taking a leaf out of the car industry’s playbook, as they introduce new devices under separate brands that target specific consumer segments around the world.
Amid a saturated market in China, these firms have been sharpening their focus on India, the world’s second largest smartphone market, where the likes of Huawei Technologies, Xiaomi and Oppo are investing resources in their new brands.
Oppo, which was once the biggest smartphone supplier in China, is preparing to soon launch a new budget-priced smartphone under its Realme brand, a separate line that was created for the Indian market, according to an emailed statement from the company.
It said the initial Realme smartphone, which was priced from 8,990 rupees (US$129), was exclusively released online via Amazon.com’s Indian portal from May this year. This first batch was sold out after more than 400,000 units got snapped up in two months.
Realme was set up by Sky Li, a former vice-president of Oppo who led its overseas operations, as a separate corporate entity in India. He also served as the head of Oppo’s India business when the company rapidly expanded its operations to 31 countries and territories over the past few years.