Online smartphone sales are growing, and brands like Xiaomi have outgrown big companies such as Samsung by strongly placing their online strategies. The online space is quite competitive as consumers can easily compare products, their features and prices instantly, and now a new brand with strong offline presence is making its way to compete better with rivals.
OPPO is one of the key players in the Indian smartphone arena, but it has failed to gain as much online success as it has done in offline space. With strong marketing and retail partnerships, the Chinese smartphone brand has managed to make a name for itself. Now, OPPO is focusing on the online segment with a brand new sub-brand called Realme to challenge Xiaomi's dominance.
The first smartphone in the new series, Realme 1, is going to be launched on May 15 and it is going to be exclusively available on Amazon India. It's not clear which price segment OPPO's new smartphone is targeting, but it looks like it might go after the popular entrants such as Xiaomi Redmi 5A and Redmi Note 5.
Amazon India is already marketing the upcoming launch of the Realme 1 smartphone and a few details are given out to build some excitement among fans.
According to the microsite, the Realme 1 will feature a metallic frame and a glossy back panel with diamond cut pattern – something OPPO has demonstrated in the recently-launched OPPO F7 Diamond Black edition.
Realme 1 is targeted towards the youth and guarantees durability, reliable service and the best features. The new brand claims it maintains stringent quality control with 10,000 drop tests, 100,000 button tests, 10,000 USB tests, and more. Since online purchases raise after-sales service concerns, Realme has more than 500 authorized service centers with 1-hour guaranteed service for most cases.
"Realme satisfies the needs of online consumers through unique, exquisite design, leading specs, cutting-edge technology and overall better quality," CEO of Realme India was quoted as saying on the Amazon.in microsite for Realme 1 smartphone.
Specific details about the phone haven't been revealed, but it looks strikingly similar to OPPO A3, which was launched in China last month. If that's the case, OPPO A3 as Realme 1 can bring some serious competition to the market if priced right.
OPPO A3 features a 6.2-inch Full HD+ display with a notch design and 19:9 aspect ratio. It sports a 16MP rear camera and an 8MP front snapper for selfies. Under the hood, the A3 packs a MediaTek Helio P60 processor with 4GB RAM and 128GB expandable storage. The battery is a 3,400mAh unit and software powering the phone is Android 8.1 Oreo-based ColorOS 5.0.
Realme could consider a few downgrades while rebranding the A3 as Realme 1 in India to fit the right budget. More details to follow soon, stay tuned.
