OPPO mobiles has tried to capture a chunk of mobile phone market in India and have somewhat succeeded in doing so. After a year of launch in India, We caught up with Tom Lu, CEO of OPPO mobiles India and threw some doozies at him. This is what he had to tell us about the company’s performance and future of the mobile brand in India.

 How has the journey of OPPO Mobiles been so far in India? How are the people of India warming up to the brand?

We have received an overwhelming response in India. There has been positive feedback from customers about the product quality in terms of the design & innovation and on the after sales service. OPPO entered India in January 2014 and this year we are celebrating the first year anniversary of our successful journey in India. Till date, we have launched 14 smartphones in the Indian market, out of which the total number of 4G phones is four (Find 7, Find 7a, R5, and N3). Our flagship models such as the N3, R5, Find 7 & N1 along with innovative technologies like VOOCave received rave reviews from the experts as well as the consumers across India.

Customers are the very source for OPPO’s passion in the industry and we have got an amazing response from our customers. OPPO has co-developed products with customers based on their feedback in both hardware and software user experience. In this price sensitive market there is a certain section of consumers who are extremely technology savvy and are looking for innovative and power-packed devices.

The way consumers choose and buy smartphones is continuously evolving and that means you need to have a diverse portfolio of products and price points to appeal to a wide range of consumers here.

eing a Chinese manufacturer, how are you taking up the ‘’Make in India’’ Policy by the Indian government?

We are really excited for “Make In India” initiative by the Indian Government. This initiative will boost demand; encourage development, which will be benefiting the investors as well.  We would wait to see the clear map of the Government policy and how the market is developing. We would be happy to be part of the ‘‘Make In India’’ project.

What new innovations can we see from OPPO mobiles in India?

As we always says that OPPO is very much concerned about Innovation and Technology. Our R&D team is diligently working to come up with the best and the latest and products that delight our customers.  India is a very interesting market with significant growth still to be found in the sector.  It is no doubt a price sensitive market but there is a certain section of consumers who are extremely technology savvy and looking for innovative and power-packed devices. The way consumers choose and buy smartphones is continuously evolving and you need to have a diverse portfolio of products and price points to appeal to a wide range of consumers there.

The current trend indicates that increasingly Smartphones are doubling up as cameras. OPPO N3 is the first Smartphone with a motorized camera which can get 64 MP Ultra-HD photography with 16 megapixel camera OPPO PI 2.0+, which was launched in Singapore in last October, is developed by OPPO to provide innovative philosophy experience and is available on both N3 and R5. PI is short for Pure Image and it includes more than 15 features, such as 8 Beauty Modes, GIF and Double Exposure. Mirror 3, the latest phone which has been launched in March is also equipped with Pure Image with the price of Rs.16990.

The other major feature that influences a buying decision is battery life and strength. With users spending hours and hours on their smartphones, battery life is one area that is seeing and is likely to see more innovation. OPPO is at the forefront of rapid smart phone charging with its VOOC Flash Charge technology. Designed specifically for the needs of the customer of today who is increasingly using the Smartphone for a number of functions like work, emails, entertainment, social media etc. The OPPO VOOC Flash Charge is capable of charging the phone’s battery from zero to 75% in only 30 minutes. Coupled with useful accessories such as VOOC car charger and VOOC power bank, makes the Smartphone ready and charged at all times of the day.

Anything else OPPO might be foraying into besides mobiles?

Right now our focus is on Smartphones. We plan to introduce new smartphones in different categories. We are focusing on getting innovative products in the Indian market. We will surely be introducing new products in the coming years.

Last Words and the road ahead for OPPO mobiles in India?

We see India as one of the most important markets for us as we go global.  We are committed to India for the long run, and are keen to ensure that we are seen and acting as an integral part of the community here.

India is a strategic market for us primarily because there is clearly a huge potential to grow in the Indian Smartphone market.  We are speeding up our sales and service network and expect a fair growth and a bigger share of the market in the times to come.  On the brand aspect, we expect our brand will become a well-known name for its innovation, quality and service over the next five years.

The company also has plans to expand more service centres in the next one year. Right now we are retailing in over 20 major cities and regions, mainly through multi-brand stores, and we have started to partner with nation-wide retail chains like Flipkart and Amazon.in for online sales. We are also planning to build our showrooms and exclusive stores in a short time. Last but not the least, our company philosophy and culture are two essential facilitators for our market success.