In the 12 months since unveiling its first device for Kiwis, OPPO has launched a total of 10 camera phones in the New Zealand market, partnered with seven retailers and its devices are now stocked in nearly 400 stores across the country.

OPPO arrived in New Zealand in March 2017 launching with its first range of premium camera phones at affordable price points, the F1s, A39 and R9s. Since then, Kiwis have also been able to take stunning pictures with the R11, A57, A77, R11s, A75, A73 and the OPPO R11 FC Barcelona Limited Edition.

As the fourth largest smartphone provider globally, OPPO camera phones are available in over 30 countries, and interest from the local market has been strong.

OPPO R11

OPPO New Zealand Sales Director, Terence Tan, says the company has seen solid incremental growth in New Zealand over the past year and is quickly becoming a brand of choice for Kiwis; “On the back of our successful global performance, we were confident that Kiwis would be keen to get their hands on our OPPO camera phones so we continued our expansion and entered the New Zealand market in March 2017. In a span of one year, we have entered seven major channels in New Zealand with a total coverage of nearly 400 retail stores across the country. We are delighted to bring Kiwis the latest mobile technology and ground-breaking design at an affordable price.”

Internationally, OPPO has a reputation for delivering high-quality and innovative design, providing great value devices at an affordable price point.

“OPPO smartphones are known for their outstanding camera quality, with the recent launches of R11 and R11s boasting dual 20MP cameras, a first of their kind,” says Terence. “We were also the first company to introduce dual SIM phones to New Zealand.”

OPPO A77

Other features such as VOOC Flash Charge, AI technology, and Bokeh effects are also standout features among customers, positioning OPPO as an industry leader.

Originally from China, OPPO began to rapidly develop a strong market share across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania between 2013 and 2017. As of late 2017, OPPO employs more than 15,000 people outside of China and provides an exceptional smartphone photography experience to over 200 million people around the world.

For the last decade, OPPO has been focusing on manufacturing camera phones, while innovating breakthroughs in mobile photography technology. OPPO started the era of selfie beautification and was the first brand to launch smartphones with 5MP and 16MP front cameras. OPPO was also the first brand to introduce the motorised rotating camera, the Ultra HD feature and 5x Dual Camera Zoom technology.

“We take our time to make sure each device meets Kiwis’ needs and wants, always delivering a premium quality device at an affordable price-point,” explains Terence. “We are continuously looking for new opportunities to grow our brand and there are plenty of exciting announcements to come from OPPO as we enter our second year in the New Zealand market.”

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OPPO have proven that the best tech doesn’t need to break the bank.

OPPO phones have been around SE Asia and China for sometime, becoming a much loved and trusted brand. In New Zealand and Australia OPPO are newcomers to us mobile hungry nations, but are setting a benchmark for what your dollar can buy.

Last year OPPO’s flagship R11 impressed and raised eyebrows at what can be achieved at a mid range price point. Our review of the R11 was a positive one, and to be fair, I thought that the R11 would be as good as things get for the OPPO range within the coming twelve months. I was wrong.

OPPO launched the R11s in both New Zealand and Australia with a high fashion launch event in Sydney, where guests and media such as ourselves were able to test out the dual front and back 20MP cameras.

Yes, four camera – 20 MP. You could say that the R11s is high quality supreme digital camera with a phone function.

The Android 7.1 handset is big (there is also a Plus version too) at 6.1 inches and although is still easily iPhone-esque resembling from the rear the R11s holds its own laser cut design.

The front face of the R11s is all screen. OPPO have done away with the non-tactile ‘Home’ button and finger print scanner that we saw in the R11 and moved the finger print to the rear of the handset.

The vividly bright AMOLED screen offers up 1080 x 2160 pixels and a 18:9 ratio. Meaning wide screen, all screen.

Under the sharp and thin bodywork is 64GB ROM which is expandable by way microSD (the R11s is Dual Sim – but shares the secondary Sim slot with microSD).

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor is onboard to sort out all of your multitasking needs and ensures that the R11s is quick. And it it is. On the lower side though we see 4GB RAM. That’s okay, but more of a midrange expectation.

The R11s also has a 4G amplifier which will make optimal use of your network connection, ensuring that even a weak signal does’t slow you down.

OPPO have also taken the initiative of offering various security methods.

There is aforementioned finger print scanner on the rear of the phone, and you have the usual Android security of PIN or Pattern, however, as we have seen in a couple of other high end devices released recently, the R11s features a Face Scanner.

Unlike similar devices that offer this – the R11s one works, and works damn well – holding your phone up to your face will see it unlock within 0.8 seconds. Even in dim light.

Taking steed from competitors handsets but walking their own path, OPPO have revolutionized both the consumer cost and expectation of a smartphone camera.

Featuring Quick Shot technology either side of the R11s has Dual Lenses to produce 20MP for standard shots or selfies – even in the lowest of light.

Recording video in 4K and there are various filters on hand, including that whitening ‘Beauty Mode’ where you can instantly look glamorous and a little bit photoshopped.

As if a top shelf digital camera wasn’t enough – OPPO re-worked the whole charging system on the R11s. To the point where a 5 minute quick charge will give you up to 2 hours.

I was curious about this so tried it out myself. The R11s has a terminator of a battery and playing videos and games on the phone constantly over the course of one day (from a full charge) I thought that it would have drained the battery. After around 9 hours of full use (only stopping gaming to eat) it still had around 60%. So my mission to completely drain the battery was complete in two and a bit days of heavy use.

I placed the R11s on charge and waited 5 minutes.

Within 5 minutes time the battery was already at 30%. Still, would it last? I was able to make calls, listen to music and watch a couple of YouTube clips over the course of four and a half hours before it started to squeal for juice.

In a normal use situation, the R11s, I believe, could survive an entire business day on just 5 minutes of A/C charging. This is an outstanding achievement, for me moreso than the camera and facial recognition.

As we get introduced to new bells and whistles on flagship top shelf smart devices, the ever-lasting battery is something that seems to be missed but a crucial part of owning a smart device. OPPO have got very very close to it.

I’m puzzled as to why OPPO are still using the Micro-USB port, whereas (for data transfer at least) the USB-C has become standard.

OPPO’s unique interface, ColorOS 3.2 thinly overlays the Android 7.1 system – and with the R11s various improvements have been made including being able to multitask like a pro, using two apps at the same time, then there’s split screen for apps, eye protection mode, accelerated games, and kid space.

There is no ‘Home’ screen as such. OPPOs ColorOS is a no mess no fuss affair with direct presentation to your Apps.

The audio quality needs a mention too. The internal speaker set of the R11s is rimed to rock out loud in almost any environment, with crisp clarity. Via headphones, OPPO prove that they are still legends at audio. The R11s features one of the most clearest beautiful audio experiences I have had on a Android smartdevice.

Available in Red, Champagne (Rose Gold) or Black, the OPPO R11s comes complete with a protective clear case in the box and ready to soldier on without regular charging and snap ready to bring your memories, your world in to perfected imagery.

The OPPO R11s is truly outstanding.

Images from the Sydney, Australia OPPO R11s Launch

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OPPO has today launched the latest addition to its camera-focused R-Series, the mighty R11s.

OPPO’s latest devices continue to push the boundaries of its camera phones, utilising the latest photographic innovations, artificial intelligence (AI) and a full HD+ screen.

Both the front and rear cameras of the new R11s have been significantly updated. They sport a brand new rear 20MP+16MP dual camera, as well as a front facing 20MP selfie camera, ensuring users capture crystal clear images with every shot.

The new R11s also includes flagship features, such as AI facial recognition technology which will unlock your device in 0.08 seconds and a fully immersive 6.01 inch full HD+ display.

“Smartphones are the camera of choice for many New Zealanders. It’s what they use to capture, enjoy and replay every moment of their lives. The R11s offers Kiwis an exceptional photography experience, which will have them taking shots like a pro thanks to OPPO’s camera innovations,” said Terence Tan, Sales Director at OPPO New Zealand.

“From new software and hardware enhancements, to artificial intelligence, OPPO is ensuring it delivers a superior photography experience to all New Zealanders,” said Terence.

What makes the R11s’ cameras special is both operate as primary cameras, rather than the conventional format, where one camera takes the lead.

The 16MP rear camera takes on the primary role of normal everyday shots in brightly lit environments, while the 20MP HD camera is the main camera for low light environments. Both cameras provide an f/1.7 aperture, allowing more light into the device, enabling consumers to capture the highest quality portraits, day and night.

The front camera has also received a major upgrade. The 20MP front camera utilises OPPO’s groundbreaking self-learning AI Beauty Recognition technology, that identifies over 254 facial recognition points of the subject and references them against millions of facial images to make subtle, natural enhancements.

Bringing images to life is the camera phone’s new display. The R11s comes with a 6.01-inch FHD+ screen with 2160 x 1080 dpi and 18:9 aspect ratio, creating a immersive user experience. The 85.8 percent screen to surface ratio is the highest for any OPPO phone to date.

Exclusively on the Red version of the R11s, OPPO has introduced a ‘starry sky’ gradient effect on the screen, blurring the boundaries and bringing a wider view for users. New Zealand retailers will also stock black and gold variants of the device.

“The R11s provides flagship quality features and hardware without the high price point. We want to continue bringing Kiwis the best camera phones without breaking the bank,” said Terence.

“This is why New Zealanders are turning to OPPO phones. We take our time to make sure each device meets their needs and wants, delivering a premium quality device at an affordable price-point. We expect the device to build off the success of the R9s and the R11 to become a favourite amongst Kiwis looking for an amazing camera phone experience.”

The OPPO R11s marks a new pricing standpoint for a highly equipped top shelf smartphone, retailing at $799.00 NZD.

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