Oppo Find X3 Pro launch: specifications, price, features, availability

GUANGZHOU, China – Chinese smartphone maker Oppo launched a new flagship device on Thursday because it looks like it wants to go further in the luxury market to challenge global giants like Apple and Samsung.

The Find X3 will be sold in China, while the Find X3 Pro will be launched in international markets while Oppo tries to expand its global footprint.

Oppo, which is owned by BBK Electronics, has made a name for itself by selling cheap smartphones with attractive features. This helped him grow into the fourth largest smartphone player in the world in the fourth quarter. In January, Oppo became the number one smartphone seller in China for the first time, according to Counterpoint Research.

The Chinese firm has managed to capture the demand for 5G devices in China with its cheap A-series and Reno brands. It took advantage of the problems with Huawei’s smartphones due to US sanctions against the company.

Oppo now hopes the Find X3 Pro will give Chinese telecommunications a way to increase its overseas market share and tackle Xiaomi, Apple and Samsung.

Here are some details about the Find X3 Pro:

• 6.7 inch so-called AMOLED (active matrix organic light emitting diode) screen
• 5G-capable
• Walk on Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 processor
• A 4-sensor camera setup that enables ultra-wide-angle photography
• Use Google’s Android operating system

Oppo also discussed features for a great mobile gaming experience, which is a key focus for smartphone makers these days.

The phone will start shipping in Western Europe from March 30.

Oppo’s international push has been going on for years since its first overseas launch in Thailand in 2009, followed by India in 2014. The focus has been on countries where Oppo’s cheap devices would flourish.

But the expansion has recently increased with Oppo’s launch in 2018 in Europe and deals with large mobile networks for distribution, which is a key part of the growth for smartphone makers in many markets.

Along with Android competitors like Xiaomi, Samsung and Vivo, Oppo will try to take advantage of the battle Huawei has had overseas.

In 2019, Huawei was placed on a U.S. blacklist, known as the Entity List, that restricted U.S. businesses from exporting technology to the Chinese company. One of the biggest consequences was that Huawei was cut off from Google’s Android operating system. This is not a big deal in China where Google services like Gmail and search are blocked. But overseas, consumers are used to Android.

And last year, Washington pulled to cut off Huawei from the chips it needs for its smartphones. These two actions hurt Huawei’s sales. According to Counterpoint Research, the Chinese company’s fourth-quarter global smartphone shipments fell 41%. In Europe, it dropped 62%.

“The rise of OPPO can be attributed to being a beneficiary of a major gap left by Huawei. OPPO took advantage of this opportunity,” said Neil Shah, research director at Counterpoint Research.

“With X3 Pro, OPPO will be monitoring the tens of millions of Mate and P Series Huawei users in China as well as worldwide,” he said, referring to Huawei’s flagship smartphone range. The X3 Pro will compete directly with these devices.

But in more mature markets like Europe, Oppo will have to build a ‘high-end image’ like Apple and Samsung, according to Will Wong, research manager at International Data Corporation, which could be a challenge for Oppo.

“Oppo needs to target the higher-income consumers who want the best products. The launch of the Find X3 series is important to create this image,” Wong said.