George Long began his career with OPPO in 2002. Before his current appointment as Chief Executive Officer of OPPO Pakistan Authorized Distributor in 2015, he served as CEO of OPPO Xinjiang Authorized Distributor. OPPO appeared in the Pakistani smartphone market in 2014 and since then has created a massive presence in cities across the country. Under George’s tutelage, ss Authorized Distributor has expanded its retail network to more than 5000 points of sales and 17 service centers nationwide, providing job opportunities to over 4000 employees of which 99 percent of the people hired are local talents.

Following are the edited transcripts of a recent conversation BR Research had with the CEO of OPPO PakistanAuthorized Distributor:

BR Research: How far has OPPO come in Pakistan since its launch?

George Long: In 2014, OPPO came to the Pakistani market and is now the most preferred smartphone brand in Pakistan. We are providing high-quality products and innovations that are contributing to a better life. We aim for rapid expansion of the OPPO footprint. OPPO is known for good camera quality, which grew our young fan base, making the F-Series popular among them.We have built our first assembling line in Lahore in 2021.

BRR: What does the brand signify?

GL: Our brand proposition is “Inspiration Ahead”. It shows confidence and poise when we are moving forward. It encourages us to remain resolved and graceful as brave as a storm and break stagnation. More importantly “Inspiration Ahead” is a joint action of OPPO and all climbers.

BRR: What is OPPO's market share in Pakistan? What has been the growth over the last couple of years?

GL: We are the most preferred smartphone brand in Pakistan. According to the recent Canalys analysis, OPPO remains in a steady position among the top 5 smartphone vendors in Pakistan. Our recent F21 Pro Series device was loved by the people, and it was one of the most sought-after devices in the market due to the industry first – feature-rich technology it carries.

BRR: How do you differentiate OPPO from other smartphone brands? What category of smartphones sells the most for OPPO?

GL: Our key differentiation is "inspiration ahead" signifying the persona of our brand. To realize such inspiration, we research the usability of technology such as a non-crease hinge of foldable phone segment. The brand is bringing to the forefront technology that delivers a step-change to exemplify dynamic and exhilarating experiences. We never compromise on the quality as OPPO promises to deliver a mutually inspirational yet technological innovation experience with our global users. Our F series is very popular among users because it is positioned as a companion for young people to express their individuality.

BRR: What kind of technology transfer can happen between Pakistan and China with OPPO's presence in Pakistan?

GL: OPPO is the pioneer and leader in flash charge technology development. Since the launch of the first flash charge product in 2014, we have been leading the innovation in this technology.

With the flash charge technology, a smartphone can run video games for 4 hours after being charged for 5 minutes. OPPO VOOC flash charger completes charging four times faster than a standard charger. Our unique low-voltage flash charge technology has created a new epoch in charging. Low-voltage charging is faster, safer, and generates less heat.

We have launched the Flash Initiative to extend the use of flash charge technology to automobiles, shared power banks, household appliances, public spaces, and chips. For this technology, we have filed 3,200 plus patent applications and have been granted 1,600 plus patents. So far, we have licensed our VOOC patents to more than 40 partners.

And since 2012 we have optimized the imaging performance continuously to enrich the photography and videography experiences of our users so they get unprecedentedly powerful computing energy efficiency, industry-leading Ultra HDR capabilities, lossless real-time RAW calculation, and RGBW Pro that maximizes sensor capabilities.

BRR: Why did you introduce 5G phones in the country and what has been the response?

GL: As an accelerator of 5G technology we are strengthening our long-term technical capabilities to address new needs and developing new-generation communications technology for the future. 5G can and will be the next game-changer for Pakistan. That’s the magic of new technology. It can be a tipping point that triggers so many changes. As our brand proposition is “Inspiration Ahead”, OPPO is always ready to embrace the changes and stay ahead. OPPO launching 5G devices is to create awareness around 5G, starting conversations among the users and imparting the necessary knowledge while clearing misconceptions for the betterment of consumers’ lives.Last year our Reno series 5G device performed very well in the market.

BRR: Currently, half of Pakistan’s population remains unconnected to the internet. What happens to the digital split when the 5G “revolution” brings such fundamental applications to some but not others?

GL: Pakistan has seen a phenomenal growth of around 3500percent in broadband subscriptions over the last 8 years. Kepios analysis indicates that internet users in Pakistan increased by 22 million (+35.9%) between 2021 and 2022. However, issues relating to COVID-19 continue to impact research into internet adoption, so actual internet user figures may be higher than these published numbers suggest. Pakistanis now own more than 103 million smartphones with mobile broadband subscriptions. The mobile industry is developing and preparing to deploy the fifth-generation (5G) networks. The evolving 5G networks are becoming more readily available as a significant driver of the growth of IoT and other intelligent automation applications. The advent of 5G is more than just a generational step; it opens a new world of possibilities for every tech industry.

BRR: What is OPPO’s agenda in promoting and accelerating 5G?

GL: OPPOhas been working with authoritative international organizations to establish new 5G standards across the globe. We are now working closely with Ericsson and Qualcomm to test out a pre-commercial 5G enterprise network slicing solution. Previously we partnered with Vodafone and Ericsson to build the first 5G SA network in the UK at Coventry University, where it also demonstrated the first 5G SA network slicing technology.

In China, we have worked with China Mobile to complete the testing and verification of 5G terminal slicing. OPPO played a significant role in a different market to accelerate the commercialization of 5G, and we are keen to look for such an opportunity here in Pakistan.

OPPO is staying ahead by bringing new technologies into reality. We are thriving to be one of the first vendors to launch 5G smartphones in different markets, for instance, the first commercial 5G smartphone in Europe was our OPPO Reno 5G. We are also strengthening our long-term technical capabilities to address new needs and developing new-generation communications technology for the future. Globally we are exploring 6G standards already.

OPPO 5G phones provide better connectivity, through its Smart 5G Technologies:

We offer wider signal coverage: DSS (Dynamic Spectrum Sharing) can quickly complete spectrum allocation and help the operators to implement 5G services more cost-effectively.

Our 5G phones also provide faster connection: Dual connectivity (5G+WiFi) provides users with faster internet speeds – a 28 percent increase in an ideal lab environment.

OPPO 5G phones have lower power consumption: Compared with always using a 5G network, the Smart 5G complete performance optimization program reduces smartphone power consumption by 30 percent.

BRR: What are the opportunities and challenges in commercializing 5G?

GL: 5G offers challenges and opportunities all within one innovation. 5G will undoubtedly be a positive change in the tech landscape, unlocking the full suite of possibilities it holds. 5G will bring speed advancements eliminating wait times for buffering and data transfers. It improves power efficiency for mobile devices. Network operators will be able to create and deploy customized slices of network infrastructure based on the needs of each specific customer. It will allow AR/VR experiences to become mainstream for users and it will allow remote operation of machinery.

But with these opportunities, the cost of installing and maintaining the 5G stations will be significant. Since 5G emits frequencies at a shorter wavelength than 3G/4G that enables greater data throughput at the expense of a more limited range of coverage

BRR: What are the benefits Pakistan will get after launching 5G services and smartphones?

GL: The realization of the 5G momentum can result in the growth and recovery of different sectors while it will also lead to the creation of new jobs and business opportunities in Pakistan. The best feature of the 5G technology is its speed; a faster 5G speed and better connectivity could create economic growth in different regions. Another benefit of this would be an environment where regions, countries, and businesses, especially manufacturing sectors, would attract investments to improve productivity and efficiency. 5G will also aid the digitalization of Pakistan by connecting people with robust purpose-built technology. They are expected to benefit from future innovations in distance learning, public safety, manufacturing, transportation, health, etc.

OPPO, a global smartphone brand, is working to unlock a future that connects you like never before. With each new generation of wireless technology, its devices gain new intelligence, enabling them to sync and keep you connected to the OPPO universe seamlessly. Producing 5G devices in Pakistan will help in boosting the economy and will create job opportunities. And when Pakistan will get the 5G technology and deploys it in the traditional sectors like aggrotech and textiles. It can create a new economy of $60 billion every year.

BRR: What are your plans for Pakistan going forward?

GL: In Pakistan, OPPO was one of the first to introduce 5G smartphones in Pakistan with the Reno series and now recently OPPO PakistanAuthorized Distributor has launched 5G handsets with their Mid-range F series as well.There is more OPPO can offer to the users here. We house wider cutting-edge technologies for a smarter lifestyle. We are in plan to bring our mind-blowing IoT experience here in Pakistan. And of course, we would love to build a better 5G future together with our partners. Whenever Pakistan is 5G ready, OPPO is here.