We are nearing four years since OPPO officially launched in South Africa. In that time the brand has debuted a wide range of affordable devices, and last year introduced its first foldable to the country.

As more phone makers have looked to make a mark in SA, OPPO faces greater competition than ever before, making 2024 in particular an important year for the company.

To find what it is planning for 2024, as well as what to expect in terms of new devices and the core ethos the brand aims to emphasise this year, we spoke with Bradley Young (pictured below), training manager at OPPO SA for more insight.

Here’s what we learned:

More IoT offerings

We began our discussion as we often do, focused on devices. As mentioned more flagship OPPO phones have landed locally in recent years, but as have also found out, there is no Reno11 series on the cards for SA.

It is an interesting decision to be sure, especially as the upcoming series is expected to tout some AI-focused features, but as Young explains, the next iteration is slated for release locally in the latter half of this year. As such, the company’s desire to make South Africa Reno country is still top of mind.

Not to mention the fact that the aforementioned AI features will likely be more refined in the subsequent series.

“It’s not going to be long before you see the next iteration of Reno queuing up and ready to launch in SA in the second half of the year,” Young confirmed. “The same AI technology they’ve preluded on Reno11 will be on the next Reno, and if anything, we’ll probably have a better AI offering for that series,” he added.

Looking at other product segments, 2024 is the year that more local consumers will be introduced to the company’s IoT devices and wearables. We have already spotted the Watch X, but there is a tablet and a handful of connectivity devices that will also be reaching our shores this year.

“What we are focusing for this market during the remainder of this quarter and the next quarter, is to launch two very key products for us outside of the smartphone space. We have the 5G CPEs that we’re looking at expanding and growing, but I think there will have a greater focus on the Watch X, which is our first fully fledged smartwatch, and the other is the OPPO Pad Neo, which will be launching within the month of March,” he highlighted.

Value above all else

As for how OPPO plans to make inroads in a space that is dominated by a handful of players at the moment, Young was quick to point out that the company is acutely aware of local consumers’ buying habits, and in particular the fact that they are becoming increasingly budget conscious.

There is also a greater deal of time put into how money is being spent on technology, with value in particular now being a key consideration, which is something that OPPO aims to leverage and use to help distinguish itself in such a competitive space.

“We think we can offer a lot of value. When you’re buying an OPPO device, you’re getting a proper charger, whether it’s the 100W or 30W SUPERVOOC, you’re getting the phone and charging block in the box. You’re getting a cover and a factory fitted screen protector,” he emphasised.

“So immediately off the bat consumers feel like they’re getting all of these items that most of the bigger players are now excluding and making people purchase additionally. On top of that we very often, especially on the premium side of things, offer some great bundles, whether it’s with wireless earbuds, and going into March we’ve launched some really fantastic deals. For example, you could purchase the Reno10 device and pick up the Watch X for free,” shared Young.

While acutely aware of just how brand loyal South Africans can be, Young and others at OPPO SA are also cognisant of just how important it is for local consumers to feel like they’re getting a little something extra for their money, especially as the global economic downturn has made spending far tighter.

“Those value-added offerings really make it an enticing brand for customers to explore and venture towards,” he continued.

With 2024 promising more of the same from OPPO in terms of trying to deliver the best value for money, it may be some time until we start seeing the class-leading Find X devices in South Africa, but as we have seen with its foldable N2 Flip launch, it will take a considered approach to bringing new hardware to our shores, particularly as it aims to maximise return.