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OPPO opens research institute to focus on 5G, AI, imaging

As HUAWEI and Apple increase their R&D budget, OPPO has launched a research institute of its own.
By
April 6, 2018
The OPPO R11s smartphone
TL;DR
  • OPPO Research Institute will have several branches around the world.
  • The institute will work on technology related to 5G, artificial intelligence, materials and image processing.
  • HUAWEI and Apple are kingpins in the R&D space though, spending billions each year.

Oppo has always stood out that to its innovations in the smartphone arena. It was one the first brands to offer fast charging and to deliver a camera on a motorised swivel. But the company is ploughing even more cash into R&D with the launch of the OPPO Research Institute.

According to IFeng News (via TechNode), the organisation is based in Shenzhen, China, but has research branches in Silicon Valley, Yokohama, Japan and several Chinese cities.

The institute will work on software, hardware and standards, focusing on 5G, AI and image processing technologies. However, the division will also work on new materials, IFeng reports.

The publication adds that OPPO will also “strengthen” its existing partnerships with universities around the world. The smartphone brand is currently working with Stanford University on AI efforts, as well as the likes of New York University for 5G.

The news comes a few months after OPPO was announced as a partner in Qualcomm’s 5G Pioneer Initiative. At the time of the announcement, Qualcomm claimed that the initiative would explore “new mobile applications and experiences enabled by 5G, but also… other transformative technologies such as AI and the IoT.”

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R&D marks the latest battleground in the battle for smartphone supremacy. More recently, we’ve seen the likes of Apple and Huawei drastically increase their budget in this department. One report found that Apple was on the way to spending $18-billion in its 2018 fiscal year, while HUAWEI increased its R&D spend to $13.8-billion last year.