The ubiquity of smartphones is hard to miss – whether in a boardroom, an elevator, the train or at home when watching TV or having a meal. We have become dependent on phones for everything from telling the time, setting reminders and entertaining us to informing us about the latest news. And of course, for calling and messaging – the original purpose that mobile phones served.
The rapid rise of the smartphone market has also seen the emergence of a plethora of manufacturers – all seeking to grab a slice of the pie. New device launches were hotly anticipated events in the initial heady years of smartphones, with the grey market thriving in places like the UAE where the phones were not immediately available. While those days are now long gone, and the awe-factor has faded a bit, the need to innovate has only become stronger for the brands that have survived, outpaced the competition and remained relevant.
The need to innovate has been the driving principle for smartphone manufacturer OPPO, reveals Ethan Xue, the recently appointed president for the Middle East and Africa at the company. “We have invested heavily in research and development, and we now have 10 R&D centres around the world,” he says.
OPPO, which launched its first mobile phone in 2008, currently has a presence in over 40 countries and regions and employs over 40,000 people. Its investment in R&D this year equals approximately $1.46bn, according to Xue.
“Earlier this year we started work on a new research and development centre in Chang’an Town, in Guangdong Province, China, which will accelerate our R&D capabilities. The new facilities, along with the company’s existing R&D centres, will form a robust research engine to support OPPO’s continued innovation for the emerging era of intelligent connectivity.”
The 5G factor
Denne historien er fra November 2019-utgaven av Gulf Business.
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Denne historien er fra November 2019-utgaven av Gulf Business.
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Green lights
It hasn’t even been a full year that Stellantis, one of the world’s biggest auto companies, has been in existence. Still, its wheels are spinning furiously. Here’s what it has in store for the region
Purpose through corporate responsibility
Every organisation must deeply reflect about whether they are leaving behind a legacy or a liability, says Abdulaziz AlSowailim, EY MENA chairman and CEO
Analysing the layers of a coconut
When we have a sense of clarity as to our purpose in life, then we institute the correct practices and habits around us, and set realistic and achievable results
DUNES TO DOMINION
FOR A COUNTRY RICH IN TRADITION AND DRIVEN BY AMBITION, THE UAE’S JOURNEY DURING THE PAST 50 YEARS HAS BEEN UNPRECEDENTED. WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE NEXT 50?
Building strong
International investors are boosting Dubai’s residential property market, which has rebounded strongly from the Covid crisis, writes Aarti Nagraj
CHASING THE AMERCIAN DREAM
FOR SHAI ZAMANIAN, THE US IS A LAND OF LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES, AN AVENUE HE AIMS TO OPEN FOR FAMILIES WORLDWIDE VIA IMMIGRATION. HERE’S HOW HE IS BRINGING HIS GOAL TO FRUITION
OBITUARY: JOCELYN HENDERSON (1921-2021)
THE GRANDE DAME OF ABU DHABI – THE WIFE OF A FORMER DIPLOMAT – PASSED AWAY IN THE UAE CAPITAL AGED 100
THE DIGITAL DISRUPTORS
IN THE COMING YEARS, THE GCC IS EXPECTED TO PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN SECTORS SUCH AS HEALTHCARE, MANUFACTURING, EDUCATION AND RETAIL, WHICH WILL HELP BOOST THE GROWTH OF ITS NON-OIL ECONOMY
Signed, sealed, delivered
Nicolas Baretzki, CEO of Montblanc, partnered with one of the world’s most recognisable luxury brands, Ferrari, earlier this year. Here’s where the partnership, and the German company as well, is headed next
UP, UP AND AWAY
AS THE FIRST IN-PERSON AIRSHOW TO TAKE PLACE SINCE THE OUTBREAK OF THE PANDEMIC, THE EVENT SAW SEVERAL DEALS ANNOUNCED
