Dubai
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo is targeting the tech-savvy youth for its Artificial Intelligence-enabled beauty recognition technology with its F5 device.
The F5 is the latest addition to selfie expert series from the world’s fourth largest vendor after Oppo F3.
Ivan Wu, general manager of Oppo Gulf, said that the ‘AI Beauty Recognition Technology’ gathers information and learns the specific facial features of different people from its global image database of human faces.
“Professional photographers and make-up artists were consulted during the R&D process, resulting in the AI technology, which makes selfies look so much more attractive, no matter what the skin or face type,” he said.
He said the ‘Beauty Recognition Technology’ is simply emulating the abilities of a professional photographer, who would bring years and years of technical skills and experience when taking a portrait. An F5 user thus gains that similar ability to capture selfies that are of the highest quality.
Mohammad Naoufel Madih, marketing manager at Oppo Gulf, said that the technology also lets the camera capture selfies in challenging lighting conditions. The phone can identify more than 200 facial recognition spots while clicking selfies and has a customised beauty effect. The device learns more you as you use it.
The six-inch device (2160 x 1080), with almost bezeless display, is powered by 2.5GHz octa-core MediaTek processor with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage capacity as well as 6GB and 64GB. It can be boosted up to 256GB via microSD card support. It has triple-slot tray for dual nano SIM cards and microSD card. It is powered by Its Color OS 3.2 based on Android 7.1.
There’s a 20MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture on the front while a 16 MP unit with an f/1.8 aperture lens on the rear. The 4/32GB is priced at Dh1,199 while the 6/64GB is priced at Dh1,399 and available from November 17. The pre-orders start from Thursday (today).
Research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) report stated that the company remained the number four ranked smartphone vendor worldwide and its continued expansion outside of mainland China continues to be a success.
“Oppo is doing pretty well in the Middle East and Africa with 116 per cent growth year-on-year growth in third quarter of this year, capturing a two per cent share in the region. They have a very different strategy for most major markets, going directly to the end consumer skipping the ‘distributor’ in the channel, which has given them this success.” said Nabila Popal, Senior Research Manager at IDC for MEA.
“They are doing very well in markets like Pakistan, which is their largest market in MEA, constituting almost 38 per cent of all their MEA shipments in the third quarter. As one of the fastest growing smartphone markets in the region, capturing almost 10 per cent smartphone market share in Pakistan is a great achievement for the brand.”
In UAE specifically, as of third quarter, Kafil Merchant, Research Analyst at IDC, said that Oppo’s market share has grown to around five per cent of the smartphone market.
“In addition to their unique direct distribution strategy, this is also due to a very effective marketing strategy, by sponsoring the Indian cricket team and the Barcelona football team — both which have large fan base in Middle East, “ he said.
