Q&A with CEO OPPO Pakistan about F17 Pro

George Long is CEO of OPPO Pakistan, AED.

George Long has been with OPPO since 2002. Prior to being appointed as the CEO of OPPO Pakistan in 2015, he was the General Manager of OPPO branch in Xinjiang Province from 2013 to 2015.

As CEO, Mr Long has been instrumental in OPPO’s increasing market share and soaring sales in Pakistan. He has been at the forefront of introducing OPPO corporate values and leading the team to new heights of success.

Mr Long is a leader par excellence with strong communication skills and a go-getter attitude. He has been an inspiration for every member of the OPPO team.

1. Recently the brand launched OPPO F17 Pro in a first ever game show with Asim Azhar and Syra Yousuf. What was the whole idea behind the launch?

As part of its innovative strategy, this year OPPO pursued a new way to launch its latest edition to the F series OPPO F17 Pro. The launch event consisted of exciting games with Team VOOC headed by Asim Azhar and Team Design headed by Syra Yousuf as they went head to head for the final win. The first-ever gameshow launch aimed to strengthen the emotional connection between the young trendsetters and the brand. We have received an amazing response from the people not just for the smartphone but for the launch event as well.

2. OPPO just launched its new TVC for OPPO F17 Pro. What’s the concept behind the TVC and appointing such young talent as brand ambassadors?

Our new TVC rejoices the free-spirit of the youth starring youth icons Asim Azhar and Syra Yousuf. We aimed to portray how OPPO F17 Pro complements the lifestyles and personalities of the young generation. OPPO’s core strategy revolves around the youth. The brand has a 360-degree approach to maintain a connection with the young users across all platforms including all the things the young generation appreciates.

3. What makes F17 Pro stand out from the previous smartphones of the F series?

The newly launched OPPO F17 Pro is a thinner and lighter version of the F series that comes with 7.48mm thinness and weighs 164g. Considering the importance of battery capacity of all our smartphones, this version comes with 30W VOOC 4.0 flash charging and In-Display Fingerprint 3.0 which was not available in its predecessors. Lastly, to cater to the needs of the young generation OPPO F17 Pro comes with innovative portrait technology powered by an AI algorithm that goes beyond the hardware level including Dual Lens Bokeh, AI Colour Portrait, AI Night Flare Portrait, AI Super Clear Portrait, etc.

4. What’s the concept/inspiration behind F17 Pro’s camera features?

Being a user-centric brand, all the features are curated keeping our consumers in mind. Our focus has been on individuals who are always on the move – traveling, studying, or working allowing them to experience our innovative technology conveniently. OPPO F17 Pro is designed to offer a powerful combination of quality cameras including a 48MP wide-angle quad-camera setup on the rear, and Front Dual Depth cameras. The innovative imaging qualities of this smartphone empowers users to express their creativity through photography, making their pictures look like a piece of art.

5. Which segment of society is OPPO targeting for F17 Pro? Are there any tailor-made features for Pakistani users?

The OPPO F17 Pro is designed for expressive and creative millennials and generation Z who seek to utilize trendy technology in their daily life. As these segments of society require an on-the-go device that can help them capture valuable moments and express who they are, the OPPO F17 Pro is equipped with all the features that are tailor-made for our target audiences. We have introduced AI Night Charging for the first-time allowing users to live a smart way to charge their smartphone while they are asleep. This feature works by optimizing night-time charging by redistributing the last 20% of battery charge to 90 minutes prior to AI determined user wake time. OPPO F17 Pro’s size is based on a 20:9 ratio that is based on consumer research so that users can get a firm grip on their phone. Its 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0, AI Beautification 2.0, Video Stability, AI Colour Portrait, etc are namely a few other features designed keeping in view the needs of the users.

6. OPPO F17 Pro is a perfect combination of both fashion and technology. What is OPPO doing to engage with consumers in Pakistan? Is the market challenging to break into?

Our OPPO F17 Pro strives to be a trend-setter that echoes the style and identity of the users allowing them to express themselves freely. OPPO as a brand focuses more on its R&D department to study the changing needs of Pakistani consumers. OPPO has continued to strive for excellence in its pursuit of technological innovation, improving its brand, globalization ambitions, and product concepts. The brand is offering more innovative products by forming strategic partnerships and listening to the market to anticipate the needs of consumers that truly benefit them. Some markets can be challenging but we try to carefully understand the needs of our users, adapt to different market traits, and progress step by step.

7. The ultra-sleek body of F17 Pro introduces an ultra-thin and ultra-lightweight design. How is it different compared with the last generation? What techniques are you employing to reduce the weight and thickness of the phone?

The latest edition of the F series comes with great improvements to reduce the weight and thickness as compared to the previous generation. OPPO F17 Pro is only 7.48mm thin and weighs 164g which makes it 0.4 thinner and 8g lighter than the previous OPPO F15. With our industry-leading interior compartment design, the smartphone has a thinner mainboard, battery, and internal components to achieve its thin design. F17 Pro is not only a visually sleek and stunning device, but it uses a 220° Edge is based on a rounded edge design technique. This method cleverly refracts light at the tip of the rounded point of the smartphone to give off the appearance of a slimmer edge when looked at from the side without compromising comfortable hand-feel.

8. How has 30W VOOC 4.0 Flash Charge been improved compared with the last generation?

OPPO’s exclusive rapid-charge technology allows efficient and fast charging at lower phone temperatures. OPPO F17 Pro is equipped with 30W VOOC 4.0 Flash Charge allowing users to charge its 4000mAh battery to 74% in just 30 minutes and get a full battery in just 53 minutes. Not only this, keeping in view that the younger generation is always on the go, the users can use their smartphone for calling, watching videos, or playing PUBG with just a 5-minute charge enabling them to have a non-stop smartphone experience. Together, this ensures that the phone doesn’t overheat, even with continuous use.

9. There is news about the launch of OPPO F17 being launched soon. What can we expect from the launch?

Yes, we are planning to launch OPPO F17 in Pakistan soon. It will be another fashionable addition to the F series available in trendy colours. With this launch, we have a very special surprise campaign planned for our audience.

OPPO F17’s powerful performance can satisfy users’ needs for watching videos, browsing social media apps, and gaming on their phones. F17 is equipped with a 6.44” FHD OLED screen that comes with eye care modes suited for comfortably looking at your phone screen during the day and at night. It’s also designed for smartphone gamers, with Hyper Boost 2.1 to enhance your gaming experience.

10. With Android Q launching soon, do you have any plans to update the software on OPPO F17 Pro?

OPPO F17 Pro is based on ColorOS 7.2 as it works best with the smartphone’s hardware. The new ColorOS version will be updated together with Android Q on OPPO F17 Pro in the future. We believe the powerful combination of these two upgrades on Colour OS and Android will surely bring F17 Pro’s full power.

11. How will OPPO kick off its strategy for the next decade, from device perspective to innovations?

Innovation has been the cornerstone of OPPO’s success in the smartphone industry. The strategic investment will continue to enhance R&D and innovation capabilities. At present, OPPO has six research institutes, four R&D centres, and tens of thousands of R&D staff globally. With the development of its business, OPPO will continue to increase its investment in R&D. In addition to continuous attention to 5G, AI, AR, big data, and other cutting-edge technologies, OPPO will also enhance underlying hardware technology, software engineering, and system capabilities in the future.