TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #25 - Samsung, Huawei, realme 9.9, OPPO 9.9, Xiaomi 9.9, OnePlus Malaysia 9.9, Shopee 9.9 and Special: IFA Interview with realme

Welcome back TechNavers and NewsByters, in this issue of TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #25, Samsung revealed their Members' All-time Favourite Galaxy Smartphone Features, while Huawei covered various topics in their recent Huawei Global Conferences : Huawei 5G Microwave Asia-Pacific Conference, 5G World 2020 Summit and 12th Annual Huawei User Group Meeting.

In the meantime, realme achieved more titles on Shopee and Lazada for 9.9 while OPPO sold 4,000 units in just 2 hours during the Lazada and Shopee 9.9 Mega Sale. Xiaomi is the No.1 best-selling smartphone brand in Malaysia during the Lazada and Shopee 9.9 campaigns while OnePlus Malaysia was also Superb on Super Shopping Day. 

Shopee also revealed how they powered the new normal with 9.9 Super Shopping Day while for this issue’s Special, we have an Interview with realme about their plans and strategies for the future which was recently revealed at IFA 2020.

HUAWEI ANNOUNCEMENTS

Huawei Global Conferences : Huawei 5G Microwave Asia-Pacific Conference, 5G World 2020 Summit and 12th Annual Huawei User Group Meeting

In the recent Huawei 5G Microwave Asia-Pacific Conference, 5G World 2020 Summit and 12th Annual Huawei User Group Meeting, Huawei introduced the audience to innovative solutions from 5G networks to cloud solutions. Huawei Executive Director and President of the Carrier Business Group, Ryan Ding also shared his keynote speech entitled "Maximize Network Value, Enable Commercial Success" for Huawei and the carriers goals in the future. 

Here are the highlights:

• Innovative Microwave Solutions Proposed at Huawei 5G Microwave Asia-Pacific Conference for Heavy-Rain Regions
• The Huawei 5G Microwave Asia-Pacific Conference was held online recently, bringing together more than 130 guests to share insights into 5G microwave applications and to discuss how microwave solutions contribute to accelerating 5G development in the Asia-Pacific region. At the conference, Huawei proposed an innovative solution to solve transmission capacity and distance bottlenecks that traditional microwave solutions encounter in the parts of the Asia-Pacific region that experience heavy rain.
• Huawei Won "Most Innovative 5G Enterprise Partnership/Trial" for Joint Wuhan 5G Smart Anti-Epidemic Project
• At the 5G World 2020 Summit, Huawei was recognized for their work in the joint Wuhan 5G Smart Anti-Epidemic Project with the "Most Innovative 5G Enterprise Partnership/Trial" award. This award reflects how beneficial Huawei's innovative applications of 5G technologies have been to smart healthcare, receiving high praise in the industry. The Wuhan 5G Smart Anti-Epidemic Project was jointly established by Huawei and multiple major hospitals, medical institutions, and government departments immediately after the outbreak of the coronavirus at the beginning of 2020.
• Huawei's 5G Telco Converged Cloud (TCC) Solution Won 5G World 2020 Award (English press release with accompanying photo)
• Huawei's 5G Telco Converged Cloud (TCC) Solution won the "Best Network Virtualization Initiative" award at the summit for its innovative virtual machine and container dual engines. Cloudification is the foundation of the 5G network and an irreversible trend for telecom networks. With the evolution from 4G to 5G, virtual machines (VMs) and containers will co-exist in the 5G network. Huawei’s 5G Telco Converged Cloud (TCC) is the industry’s 1st hyper-converged infrastructure platform. It features dual-stack convergence (OpenStack and Kubernetes), carrier-grade enhancements, diversified computing capabilities, and O&M automation to help operators’ network cloud platform reconstruction and fast 5G SA network deployment.
• Huawei's Ryan Ding: Maximize Network Value, Enable Commercial Success
• The 12th Annual Huawei User Group Meeting kicked off with the keynote speech "Maximize Network Value, Enable Commercial Success", by Ryan Ding, Huawei Executive Director and President of the Carrier Business Group. According to Ding, Huawei has been working closely with carriers to provide superior digital services despite the pandemic. Together, Huawei and the carriers aim to achieve two goals: First, turning opportunities to ensure continuous service delivery and network operations and management during the pandemic. To make that happen, Huawei is focused on resuming work while keeping its employees safe and sound. Second, Huawei is determined to turn the momentum seen in 5G into value, maximizing network value and enabling 5G's commercial success.

REALME ANNOUNCEMENTS

realme achieves more titles on Shopee and Lazada for 9.9

In the Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day Best-selling Brands list realme became the No. 1 Electronics Brand, No. 1 Audio Brand and No. 1 Wearables Brand on Shopee. 

realme is committed to bringing the most advanced technology within corresponding price bands to its consumers. In addition to creating and implementing a future-orientated 5G expansion strategy; it is one of the first brands to bring 5G devices to the mass market price bands. It also introduced innovations such as “125W UltraDart Charge” fast charging technology and is one of the first brands to launch smartphones with the Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 765G chipsets.   

For the Lazada 9.9 Big Brands Sale the realme 6 4+128GB variant was recorded as the No.1 90Hz Smartphone Model (in terms of unit sold and revenue) while AIoT model, realme Buds Air as No. 1 Best Selling TWS ( for price range RM199-RM299). Another sold-out record-breaker in just 5 minutes on that day was the realme 6 4+128Gb.  

OPPO ANNOUNCEMENTS

OPPO sold 4,000 unit in just 2 hours during Lazada & Shopee 9.9 Mega Sale 

OPPO has made its way to the top as the preferred brand in Southeast Asia for the 2nd quarter of 2020. Seeing consistent growth throughout the quarter, OPPO has received continuous support from its users. OPPO celebrated together with Lazada and Shopee on 9.9 Crazy Brand Mega Offer which was a special one-day sale and reported over 4,000 units of products were sold in just 2hours. OPPO also achieved the top 3 in GMV and units sold on both Shopee & Lazada.

During this time, OPPO sold 1 smartphone every 2 seconds and among the popular units were from the A series, A91, A31 (6+128) & A31 (4+64). OPPO also received its top 2 bestselling accessories; the OPPO Enco W11 and OPPO Enco W31. Compared to 2019, OPPO sees a 5 times increase in sales for the same sale event. Upon achieving great success, OPPO will continue to deliver the best technology and user-friendly devices as their belief in putting the consumer first is a priority. 

XIAOMI ANNOUNCEMENTS

Xiaomi is the No.1 best-selling smartphone brand in Malaysia during the Lazada and Shopee 9.9 campaigns

Xiaomi has announced that they are the number one best-selling smartphone brand, by total units sold, in Malaysia during the recently concluded 9.9 LazMall Big Brands Sale and 9.9 Shopee Super Shopping Day.

At the same time, in Southeast Asia, Xiaomi is also the best-selling brand on Lazada and Shopee under the mobile and tablets category. In Malaysia, Xiaomi tops the list as the best-selling brand in the mobile and tablets category on both Lazada and Shopee stores. Whereas in Singapore, Xiaomi is the best-selling brand in the mobile and tablets category on Shopee. POCO X3 NFC, launched exclusively with Shopee, was also announced "The Best Selling Smartphone" in Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

Xiaomi partnered exclusively with Shopee's cross-border platform to launch the first global release of POCO X3 NFC in Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. It quickly became the best-selling smartphone with more than 14,000 units of POCO X3 NFC sold in these markets  within 24 hours. In Malaysia, 1,000 units of  POCO X3 NFC were sold in just 2 minutes.

For more information, please visit their blog. 

ONEPLUS ANNOUNCEMENTS

OnePlus Malaysia is Superb on Super Shopping Day 

OnePlus Malaysia achieved another good news recently on Shopee’s Super Shopping Day sales on Wednesday, 9th September 2020. It was recognised by Shopee that OnePlus Malaysia has successfully achieved the superb title of Top 5 Mobile Phone Brand during the Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day.

OnePlus Nord is available in two colours, Blue Marble and Gray Onyx. It is available in two variants, 8GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256GB. The Nord’s camera is fit for a flagship that is equipped with 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor and its battery supports Warp Charge 30T, that can refill its 4100 mAh battery from empty to 70% in just half an hour.

Fans are able to visit the OnePlus Official Store on Shopee to get the products such as OnePlus Nord, OnePlus Buds as well as the OnePlus Nord Sandstone Bumper Case and etc. For more updates and details on products’ availability, stay tuned to their site.  

SHOPEE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Shopee powers the new normal with 9.9 Super Shopping Day 

Shopee, recently concluded its most successful 9.9 Super Shopping Day. Powered by Shopee’s robust ecosystem, 9.9 Super Shopping Day delivered super entertainment and shopping deals for users and supercharged economic recovery for sellers and brand partners, with over 12 million items sold in the first hour on 9 September. 

9.9 Super Shopping Day acted as a springboard for economic recovery as sellers and brand partners in the region maximised their visibility and sales on Shopee. Participating brands and sellers enjoyed strong sales growth, with 700,000 items sold in a single minute at the peak of 9 September.

Shopee’s strong ecosystem ensured buying and selling remained seamless even as shopping activity peaked during 9.9 Super Shopping Day. Sellers and brand partners leveraged Shopee’s integrated logistics network to fulfil their orders, while users enjoyed seamless transactions with a wide array of payment options on Shopee, including its mobile wallet ShopeePay. 

Shopee also offered a super collection of entertainment throughout 9.9 Super Shopping Day. Users enjoyed all-day fun and earned special rewards with Shopee’s supersized range of in-app games, with 250 million water requests on the crowd favourite game, Shopee Farm. 

Users actively tuned in to Shopee Live to connect with celebrities, sellers, and brands during the 9.9 Super Shopping Day period. The number of hours spent watching Shopee Live streams increased by 3 times compared to an average day, highlighted by countdown and marathon streams on 9 September that celebrated 9.9 Super Shopping Day with users across the region. Shopee Live also gave users new ways to discover and shop the latest trends, with 2.5 times more items purchased during live streams in this period compared to an average day.

9.9 Super Shopping Day was also a major success in Malaysia. Home & Living was one of the most popular product categories on 9 September as Malaysians turned to Shopee to spruce up their household.

Malaysians from all walks of life made the most of 9.9 Super Shopping Day to meet their shopping needs, in line with the increasing importance of online shopping in the new normal. In particular, men were actively shopping for smartphones while laundry detergents were a hot favourite among women.

Various baby-related products including diapers, wet wipes and children face masks were a hit among users aged 18 to 34. As for users aged 35 to 50, they mostly shopped for household products such as home storage solutions like shelves, racks, and organiser boxes as well as cleaning supplies like detergents, dishwashing liquid and sponges. Meanwhile, users of all ages regardless of gender and race were seen to be purchasing MILO, proving to be Malaysian’s all-time favourite chocolate malt drink.  

Mobile and electronic brands, retailers and sellers on Shopee Malaysia all recorded strong performance on 9 September. A testament to the robust demand, the newly-launched POCO X3 NFC (6GB + 128GB) saw a sell-out of 1,000 units within the first 2 minutes of the sale, at 12.02am. 

Special: Interview with realme about the future @ IFA 2020

In this special we managed to get an interview with realme, revealing their plans for the future. Check it out below: 

1. What do you see as the future of 5G?  What are realme's plans and moves in terms of 5G products and strategy? 

• 5G Trends：there will be an outburst later this year.  
• The Covid-19 pandemic has delayed the full outburst of 5G, but it drove massive consumers to go online, which increased their stickiness to high-speed networks, and accelerated the coming of the 5G boom; 
• The proliferation of 5G is positively affecting global industries.  Mobile carriers, governments, and manufacturers of 5G devices are all actively promoting 5G. 
• The rapid development of 5G will drive down the price of 5G smartphones and will also give rise to killer applications in the 5G era; these factors will, in turn, drive the popularity and the full-blown of 5G.  

• realme's 5G planning: 
• realme was born for 5G, and the brand was incepted with 5G opportunities in mind, positioning itself as a 5G popularizer and bringing the most timely 5G leap-forward experience to the global market. realme has already taken the lead in bringing 5G products and experiences to many markets - in Indonesia, realme was one of the first vendors to launch 5G smartphones; Thai operators are also actively engaging with realme to introduce realme's mature 5G products to the region, and realme will be one of the first brands to lead the 5G deployment there. Most Chinese vendors have fully switched to 5G, releasing only 5G products. 
• realme is fully switching to 5G, with 5G products covering all price ranges. This year, the price of realme's 5G smartphone products continue to dive down. realme has launched in the Chinese market 5G smartphones under $ 200 (product release date Aug 31). This year, realme will continue to release 5G technology in other markets around the world, so that more consumers can access 5G at a reasonable price. 

 

2. What is realme's vision and mission in the AIoT space? What are the specific plans for the future?  What is realme's AIoT product release plan? realme has already released wearable AIoT products and smart TVs. what else can we expect beyond that? 

• Our vision is to create AIoT-based smart and tech trendsetters' lifestyle for global youth. Our mission is to enable young people around the world to buy smart products with leap-forward performance and trendsetting design at reasonable prices. 
• Strategic planning:  "Smartphone + AIoT" dual-drive strategy, with smartphones and AIoT as the core, centring around hardware and software ecosystem, covering three major application scenarios: personal (such as audio-visual devices, TWS headset), home (such as smart TV and smart speaker), and travel (such as smart watch), to create AIoT-based tech trendsetters' lifestyle. 
• 1+4+N product strategy. Taking smartphones as the core, we develop smart devices that are most closely related to and interact with smartphones, such as a variety of smart screens that young people use most frequently – smart TVs, watches, speakers and earphones - the four major groups of lifestyle devices, so that the user's interactive experience is more integrated. By developing more smart products associated with the four major groups of lifestyle devices, the user's experience extends from personal to home and travel. 
• Relying on the development of 5G high-speed network, under the trend of more interconnected devices, we aim to create more smart devices endorsed by consumers, build a complete AIoT ecosystem, so that consumers' experience is more coherent; and as the popularizer of 5G and AIoT, we aim to establish 5G leader position, and obtain the discourse power of local AIoT industry. 

• AIoT product release planning and what to expect: 
• Based on the “1+4+N”product strategy, we will expand realme products to three major application scenarios: personal, home and travel with smartphones as the core. 
• The AIoT focus is represented by the four major groups of lifestyle devices, namely smart TVs, smart watches, smart speakers and smart earphones. More smart products associated with the four major traffic hubs will be developed. 
• At its IFA event realme introduced two lifetstyle devices i.e. realme Smart Cam 360° and realme Smart Bulb, and teased several upcoming products, including realme Smart TV 55″ model, realme Buds Air Pro ANC TWS earphones, and realme Watch S Pro. Our products have been extended to home use scenarios, with a mature AIoT ecosystem already taking shape. In the future, realme will continue to explore more product offerings. 
• The plan is to launch over 50 AIoT products in the second half of 2020 and more than 100 in 2021. We hope to build a mature AIoT ecosystem by the end of the year, with at least 8 million devices connected to realme Link, the brand's AIoT software platform. 

 

3. In addition to 5G and AIoT products, what's next for realme? What is the company's strategy? 

• 5G and AIoT are the focus of future technology development and the core of industry development. 
• As a terminal equipment manufacturer, realme is an important part of the 5G industry chain, and will follow the industry development trend and plan around the key development direction of the industry, with the strategic focus on 5G and AIoT. 
• realme will seize the 5G opportunity, drive 5G development in the global market and be a 5G popularizer: 
• For markets with mature 5G: Aiming at the early 5G markets in China and Europe, realme will strongly emerge in the 5G+AIoT track by releasing AIoT products and establish an ecosystem in one year. As a young brand with light asset, we aim to seize the gateways of 5G, enrich 5G product portfolio, and offer "leap-forward experience" by launching reasonably priced AIoT products with superior quality. 
• Emerging Markets: For India, Indonesia, Southeast Asia and other 5G emerging markets, realme brings global 5G products and 5G experience to emerging markets, establishing realme 5G leader status; meanwhile, "product + ecosystem" will rise at the same pace, occupying the local AIoT industry's discourse power, and competing to be the head of local AIoT brands. 
• Other markets: For the markets in Middle East Africa and Latin America, realme will accelerate the pace of 5G and AIoT in the local market, build local users' awareness of 5G and AIoT products, popularize the concept of 5G and AIoT products by ushering in fast, convenient and other forward-looking experiences to the users, and help realize the popularity of 5G and AIoT. 

 

4. realme used to focus on affordable online/e-commerce products, but is now moving into the premium and AIoT markets. What made realme make this change? 

• Reasons for entering the high-end market: 
• We're launching high-end products, such as those mentioned at IFA, and we're about to launch a high-end smart TV with a 55-inch ultra-wide color gamut screen, the first wireless noise-cancelling headphones, the realme Buds Air Pro, and a high-end smart watch (TBD), which is high-end in configuration, but affordable in terms of price. We have applied high-end configurations to products at more friendly price ranges, giving users more choices; 
• realme has always been committed to enable young people around the world to buy smart products with leap-forward performance and trendsetting design at reasonable prices. To be exact, we're not entering the high-end market, instead, we're consistently bringing leap-forward applications of the most cutting-edge technology in the industry, and presenting them at a reasonable price. 
• Reasons for entering the high-end market: 
• The inception of the realme brand is to create richer, smart and trendsetters' lifestyle for the young people. AIoT is part of our early strategy. 
• Based on our current smartphone achievement, it is natural to expand on the field of AIoT. 
• The evolution of 5G enriches the application scenarios for internet users, where everything is more interconnected; AIoT products are important terminals to realize interconnectivity, and are closely related to smart phones, which is critical to ensure consistent user interactive experience. 
• Taking smartphones as the core, we develop smart devices that are most closely related to and interact with smartphones, such as a variety of smart screens that young people use for the longest duration - TVs, watches, and smart speakers and headphones - the four major groups of lifestyle devices, so that the mobile experience of gaming, music and other entertainments can be extended to home and travel scenarios, with uninterrupted experience of trendsetters' lifestyle. 

 

5. Does realme plan to release TV products outside the Indian market?

In addition to India, we are actively mobilizing resources in our 61 global markets, and we will launch more AIoT products successively. We will also release TV products in SEA and other regions (projected to be at the end of this year). Please stay tuned. 

 

6. What is realme's long term objective? 

• realme has announced our 2-3 years objectives in our H1 summary and on our second anniversary: we aim to sell 100 million mobiles phones annually by then. 
• Corporate development follows the pattern of quantitative to qualitive development, and our sales target is essential for us to stablize our foothold as a mainstream smartphone brand. 
• In addition to quantitative objectives, in the long run, we will also step up our investment in technology, knowing that quality products are our lifeblood at any moment. It is our perpetual mission to apply AIoT cutting-edge technology to leapforward applications, so that global users can access products with leap-forward performance and trendsetting design at reasonable prices. 
• realme has already led the industry by launching the world's first smartphone with 64MP Sony IMX682 sensor, 65W SuperDart Charge, and original Starry Mode for night photography. Realme was also the first smartphone manufacturer to launch handsets powered by the Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 765G SoCs. 
• realme's products have always been known for its trendsetting design, and we will make new attempts in the design. We have created many acclaimed products  by collaborating with world-renowned industrial designers in the world. For instance, realme has won the prestigious Red Dot award for its X2 Pro Master Edition by Naoto Fukazawa, and jointly created realme Buds Q with Jose Levy with Hermes fame. In the future, we will also invite more trendy designers to join realme Design Studio and create more products with design touch. 

 

7. Do you think the current innovation of the smartphone industry has reached its peak?  What aspects can be further developed in the future? 

• The smartphone industry has entered into a highly matured stage, but it requires greater technological innovation for enterprizes to maintain their leadship position in matured markets, and drive continuous industry development. 
• I don't think the innovation of the smartphone industry has hit its peak. We have just launched a brand-new technology in the industry – the 125W UltraDart, and we will keep this momentum of innovation in the battery charging technology. For realme, innovation must be comprehensive, and based on users' feedback, we will make continuous investment in the elements that the users care the most. Besides the charging technology, realme has always been taking the lead in the image technology, which is also a R&D priority for realme. 
• realme aims to create products with leap-forward performance and trendsetting design. We will also make new attempts in the appearance of our products. We have created many acclaimed products by collaborating with world-renowned industrial designers in the world. For instance, realme has won the prestigious Red Dot award for its X2 Pro Master Edition by Naoto Fukazawa, and jointly created realme Buds Q with Jose Levy with Hermes fame. In the future, we will also invite more fashion designers to join realme Design Studio and create more products with design touch. 

 

8. What is realme's plan of expansion in H2 2020? What are the strategies for each market? Is it a one-fits-all strategy?  

• Global expansion plan: So far, realme has entered 61 markets, covering 5 continents, with over 45 million users. In H2 this year, we will not cease the steps of our global market expansion, so as to enable more users to access our leap-forward products and experience. 
• At present, we have covered most regions of SEA and SA; 
• We have also entered the Latin American market this year. Yesterday, we had our first product release in Columbia, and we plan to open up 5 Latin American markets including Columbia, Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Chile. The Latin American market has huge potential, and our long term goal is to become top 5 smartphone brand there. 
• We have also entered most European markets, and this year we will open up 7 new markets. One Euro is our overarching strategy in the Europe. We will soon open up our new HQ in Germany, and completely hire local teams to synchronize our operation in the European markets, so that each market can access our new products at the same time. We also hope to be Top 5 in the European market. 

• Market strategy: realme's global business model: light asset, short channel, and strong e-commerce.  Of course, we will adjust our strategy based on regional circumstances. For instance, in Latin America, we will strengthen our cooperation with the mobile carriers. In SEA, we will actively rollout offline stores in addition to our online channels.  

 

9. Which countries have you entered in Europe? Which markets do you plan to enter in Europe next year? Which factors will you consider first in entering the European market? At the moment which markets are performing the best? 

• We have already entered around 30 European markets, including 16 markets in east Europe. We will move into 7 new markets in succession including Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. 
• "One Euro" is our overarching strategy in Europe. We will soon open up our new HQ in Germany, and completely hire local marketing and sales teams.  "One Euro" can  ensure that each European market can access our new products at the same time. 
• 5G opportunity is definitely our most prioritized factor in our consideration. Europe is a critical market for 5G, and one of the markets with early 5G deployment. We will also leverage realme's advantage in 5G, and emerge as one of the first brands to bring 5G products and experience to local consumers. 
• In Q4, we will launch 5G products under 300 euros for the first time. We will also launch entry level 4G and 5G products, from C11(99 euros) to 5G flagship products. realme will offer products with top configuration within its price range. 
• The European market is a stategic focus for us. It's hard to say which market performs better, but we will focus on 7 markets: Germany, UK, Poland, Greece, Spain, France, and Italy. 

 

10. There are a multitude of Chinese smartphone brands in the Asian market. How is their competition? e.g. Xiaomi, Huawei, etc. Where do you stand in the market competition? 

• Indeed, not just in the Asian market, in the global market, the market share of Chinese smartphone brand is very high, and most of them have quite advanced ranking. This indicates that Chinese enterprises and brands are growingly recognized by global users.  
• Competition exists in all industries, and the variety of brands offer more choices for the consumers, which is a good thing. It would not be sustainable for the industry to have one vendor monopolizing the entire market.  
• I think the competition in the industry I see today is benign, and I don't have too many comments for the other vendors. Let's say realme has a unique and differentiating market positioning. realme insists on creating high-quality smartphone and AIoT products with leapforward performance and trendsetting design for the young at a more affordable price. It has been ranked the seventh top smartphone brand for four consecutive quarters, which indicated that our market positioning is very precise. This is also the key to our rapid expansion into 61 markets worldwide. In the future, we will remain focused on products themselves so as to maintain our core competitiveness. 

 

11. This is realme's first appearance at IFA. How do you feel about it? 

• This is the first time realme is really present at an international conference. In fact, realme was actively preparing for the previously confirmed MWC back in March, but unfortunately couldn't make it because of Covid-19. It is really a validation for us to be able to participate in such a top international conference. 
• In the future, realme will continue to be more active on the international stage, and as we extend our footprint to 61 markets around the world, we will make more international appearances and speak more directly to our global audience. 

 

12. What products did realme bring to this IFA? 

• At its IFA event realme introduced two upcoming products, i.e. realme Smart Cam 360° and realme Smart Bulb. These two products mark our first attempts in the field of smart lifestyle devices, and we hope that our products will cover a wider range of user scenarios and build a more holistic AIoT experience for everyone. 
• Later this year we will also be launching AIoT products such as realme Smart TV 55″ model featuring 108% NTSC color gamut, the first-ever realme Buds Air Pro ANC TWS earphones, and realme Watch S Pro (TBD). 
• realme 7 and realme 7 Pro, our two new products of the year, made their debut in the Indian market yesterday. The realme 7 series sports an improved 64MP Sony IMX682 sensor. Among them, realme 7 Pro is powered by a 4500 mAh battery with 65W SuperDart which promises a full battery charge in just 34 minutes.  We will soon launch them in other markets around the world, so that users everywhere can experience the thrill of the 65W SuperDart. 

 

13. Has the Covid-19 pandemic affected realme? Did the sales of realme suffer as a result? 

• Covid-19 has had an impact on the global economy, and the smartphone industry is no exception. Although realme has been affected, it has actively taken the following measures in response. 
• The first was the flexible and diverse form of marketing that realme has been taking. This approach has shown great superiority, especially during the pandemic. While many of our competitors remained undecided, realme made a timely adjustment and switched to online product launching, thus keeping consumers updated on our new products. In fact, this is not our first attempt at going online, as we had pioneered to launch our products online in a talk show format far before the pandemic. Besides going online, we also have a lot to share about how to make the launch fun, interesting and trendy for young people, and how to appeal to the masses. 
• Second, we spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to get the products to our customers as quickly and safely as possible in the face of the previous logistics disruption. The "zero contact delivery" and "everyone is a realme ambassador" strategies have made it possible for us to keep realme products popular. Quite interestingly, you could see a lot of store staff proactively promoting our products on their personal social media accounts and even making unboxing and review videos. 
• As demonstrated by the global smartphone shipments and sales figures in Q1 and Q2, realme has seized the precious opportunity against Covid-19. In the first quarter of 2020, realme's sales grew 157 percent year on year, making it one of only two brands to register positive growth globally. In the second quarter, realme was the only smartphone brand in the world to achieve double-digit growth. Moreover, realme has been ranked as the seventh top brand in terms of global smartphone shipments for four consecutive quarters. 
• In the future, we will continue to leverage our strengths as a young brand and remain flexible to market changes so as to sustain our growth. 

 

14. How do you think about the U.S.-China trade war? 

Such events are beyond our control. I hope that the conflict will end soon and that everyone will adopt a rational view of the issues. We will also keep a close eye on the developments. 

 

15. There has been news about a "brand synergy" between OnePlus, realme, and OPPO. Can you further talk about this? 

Pete Lau will not be involved in the planning of any realme business or products with his new role at OPLUS. realme is an independently owned and operated brand and we have complete independence over product development and planning. 

 

16. What is the relationship between OPPO, realme and OnePlus? 

realme, OPPO and OnePlus share a common investment, which is mainly related to certain supply resources. 

 

17. We know that realme has already released products other than smartphones. What else will you be launching in 2021?  Which are the priorities of realme？ 

2021 Product Release Plan: 

AIoT products 

- Based on the “1+4+N” product strategy, we will expand realme products to three major application scenarios: personal, home and travel with smartphones as the core. 

- The AIoT focus is represented by the four major groups of lifestyle devices, namely smart TVs, smart watches, smart speakers and smart earphones. We will build more smart products on these four categories to enrich the entire AIoT ecosystem and provide consumers with more choices for a tech trendsetter's lifestyle. 

- At its IFA event realme introduced two lifestyle devices i.e. realme Smart Cam 360° and realme Smart Bulb, and teased several upcoming products, including realme Smart TV 55″ model, realme Buds Air Pro ANC TWS earphones, and realme Watch S Pro. Our products have been extended to home use scenarios, with a mature AIoT ecosystem already taking shape. In the future, realme will continue to explore more product offerings. 

- The plan is to launch over 50 AIoT products in the second half of 2020 and more than 100 in 2021. We hope to build a mature AIoT ecosystem by the end of the year, with at least 8 million devices connected to realme Link, the brand's AIoT software platform. 

 

Smartphone products 

- The priority of realme's smartphone offerings is to apply leap-forward technologies, such as 5G technology, to products at lower price ranges. 

- realme has already led the industry by launching the world's first smartphone with a 64MP Sony IMX682 sensor, 125W UltraDart, and original Starry Mode for night photography. realme was also the first smartphone manufacturer to launch handsets powered by the Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 765G SoCs. 

- We have adopted an "All in 5G" strategy for realme smartphone products, which means that we will build 5G products across the price segments and continue to apply the cutting-edge technologies to less expensive products so that more users can enjoy a "leap-forward" experience. 

- We will also integrate more operator resources and broaden our channels to bring more 5G products to the global market. 

 

18. How does the realme product strategy differ from other brands in the market? 

• realme has a unique and differentiated market position. realme insists on creating highquality smartphone and AIoT products with leap-forward performance and trendsetting design for the young at a more affordable price. It has been ranked the seventh top smartphone brand for four consecutive quarters, which indicated that our market positioning is very precise. This is also the key to our rapid expansion into 61 markets worldwide. In the future, we will remain focused on products themselves so as to maintain our core competitiveness. 
• Targeting a younger demographic, realme is geared towards more youthful appeals and preferences. We strive to provide a better product experience for young people by giving full consideration to their needs for imaging, gaming and performance. realme has always been lauded for its trendsetting products, many of which are created in collaboration with the world's top industrial design giants. In the future, we will be inviting more trendsetters to join the realme Design Studio to create even more inspiring products. 

 

19. Besides smartphones, will realme launch other 5G products, like 5G tablets? Is it possible for consumers to buy realme 5G smartphones under $200 in the second half of 2021? Or what about under $100?  If not, when will realme launch 5G products in the above price range? 

Tablets: 

- Tablets, laptops and other products are all within our scope of consideration to cover a wider range of application scenarios. Creating AIoT-based smart and trendsetters' lifestyles for global youth is a vision that realme upholds unceasingly. Therefore, we will gradually broaden our product range, stay tuned to consumer preferences and market trends, and promptly deliver new products that users expect. 

 

5G smartphones under $100 

- Due to technical constraints, the cost of 5G smartphone products today is relatively high across the board. Therefore, their prices are unlikely to drop below $100 in a short period of time, say a year. 

- Nonetheless, $100 is the threshold we're trying to get down to. As a 5G popularizer, we seek to bring 5G technology to lower-priced smartphones, so that more users can enjoy a "leap-forward" experience. Currently, we have made realme 5G smartphone products available between $150 and $200. We will be releasing new handsets in India in September at a price that may further surprise you. 

 

20. Will you apply the 65W SuperDart charging technology in the mid-price range? Will you apply this technology to the even lower price range in the future? 

• The disruptive 65W SuperDart charging technology will gradually cover more realme products. We're determined to become a popularizer not only of 5G but also of SuperDart. 
• We have just released our industry-leading 125W UltraDart technology. realme has always been a global leader in the application of advanced technologies. Our goal is to incorporate the most advanced features in our smartphones at a certain price range, so that young people globally can enjoy smart products with leap-forward performance and trendsetting design at an affordable price. 

 

21. Current realme smartphones boast a rear camera of up to 64 megapixels.  Do you have any plans to introduce a higher resolution sensor or work with image sensor manufacturers (e.g. Samsung, Sony and Omnivision) to roll out custom versions of CMOS sensors? 

This is currently part of our plan, and we're also continuing to ramp up our efforts into more user-aware features, such as cameras, which we believe will soon be available to consumers in the future. 

 

22. Do you have any plans in the near future to popularize higher-end smartphone configurations down to lower-priced segments? Are you going to compete with Apple, Huawei and Samsung in the high-end flagship market? 

• realme products have always covered the full price range, from entry-level to flagship, which naturally includes the high-end market you mentioned. 
• realme has always been committed to enabling young people around the world to enjoy smart products with leap-forward performance and trendsetting design at reasonable prices. We do not rate our competitors, but we will offer competitive products in all price ranges. 

 

23. realme is now completely independent but still shares innovative technology with OPPO. What innovative smartphone products will be launched in the future? 

• realme is an independent brand with more than half of its R&D power coming from a fulltime, in-house team. We will stay innovative and pioneer to apply the industry's top technology to its full range of leap-forward products. 
• realme is also deeply involved in the development of new products in areas of consumer interest such as cameras and charging technologies. As a result, realme launched the world's first smartphone with a 64 MP camera, as well as the industry-leading 125W UltraDart and 65W SuperDart charging technologies. We'll try to bring in higher quality camera; smaller highpowered charger; revolutionized screen for a thinner and lighter product; and new materials and processes for innovative phone design. These are the things we strive for. 

 

2020 H2 Product Release Plan: 

• leap-forward performance and trendsetting design:  Product has always been the core competency of a brand. Therefore, by applying leap-forward technology on the smartphones and AIoT applications, realme brings the most cutting-edge technology and trendsetting design to the consumers at a reasonable price. 
• Mobile + AIoT Dual Drive Strategy:  The strategy proposed at the beginning of the year is to build a hardware and software ecosystem based on mobile phones and AIOT, providing an AIoT-based smart lifestyle for tech trendsetters. 
• As a 5G and AIOT popularizer, realme is taking a leading position in 5G so as to have a greater say in AIoT industry: 
• realme is bringing 5G products and experience to local markets. We have launched the 5G products in China, Europe, Southeast Asia and South Asia. In China, we were the first one to announce the 5G initiative. In the second half of this year, we will release several 5G smartphone products. The prices will continue to drive down, so that users around the world can experience realme's 5G products with leap-forward performance. 
• 1+4+N Product Strategy 1 refers to smartphone, the core of the strategy; 4 refers to the four major groups of lifestyle devices, namely smart TVs, smart watches, smart speakers and smart earphones; N represents numerous smart hardwares, electronics and home appliances, which connect three major applications scenarios, namely personal, home and travel, based on realme Link. At present, we have entered the AIoT market for half a year and have become the third place in the AIoT audio market in India. We hope to build a complete AIoT ecosystem by the end of the year, with at least 8 million devices connected on realme Link. 
• At present, the market is dominated by many inferior brands and many AIoT products on the market are not mature enough. Some brands, though renown in domestic market, are not taking large shares in some overseas markets, and their product mix are also limited. realme planned to cover three major application scenarios and launch products in all lines, so as to provide more AIoT products to consumers. We aim to be Top of Mind as the consumers are asked about the AIoT products and be a leading player in the field. According to the plan, we will launch more than 50 AIoT products this year and open stores for consumers to experience smartphones and AIoT products. In 2020, we will expand to more than 100 products, ranging from smart TVs to smart toothbrushes, so our AIoT products will be available in every aspect of life. 

How to achieve the sales target set at the beginning of the year 

Brand Strategy: realme was founded because we have observed the fact that young people need a smartphone that has both strong performance and trendsetting design. Being exposed in the world of information, young people, who will gradually become the main consumers, are inclined to experience new and personalized products. Having discovered such a large market, we launched realme for the young people, like students and whitecollar workers, to provide them more personalized products and become their first choice. 

Product Strategy: leap-forward performance and trendsetting design.  By applying leapforward technology on the smartphones and AIoT applications, realme brings the most cutting-edge technology and trendsetting design to the consumers at a reasonable price.  realme has just launched the 125W UltraDart technology and cracked on a 5G ultradart age. This is the most efficient charging techonology with the record-breaking charging speed. 

At present, realme has already applied 65W SuperDart charging technology on realme X50 Pro and realme X50 Pro Player Edition. This is one of the technologies with the highest charging power and the fastest charging speed of the same battery capacity among the mass-produced commercial models. 

• realme is one of the first mobile phone manufacturers equipped with Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 765G chips. 
• realme is the first mobile phone manufacturer in the industry to launch 64 million pixels 

Meanwhile, realme has invited the top designers in the world to create products with trendsetting design and leap-forward performance. 

• For example, Naoto Fukasawa, one of the best-known Japanese product designers, has worked with realme to develop the realme master edition, among which, realme X2 Pro won Red Dot Award.  
• In the second half of 2020, realme will invite more global designers and trendy artists to join Design Studio, the realme’s design team to create more trendsetting products that young people love. 

Marketing Strategy: In terms of marketing model, realme adopts a light-asset, heavy ecommerce, and short-channel model, which can cut down the costs of products for consumers: 

• With the e-commerce platforms, realme has developed cooperation in product, logistics, marketing and other aspects to bring consumers a more economical and convenient shopping experience. realme has in-depth cooperation with many leading e-commerce platforms around the world. Leveraging big data from the e-commerce platforms and new retail strategy, realme has increased its ties with users and catered their personalized needs. 
• According to the consumption behaviors of users in different markets, realme actively deploys offline operation model with short channels to face dealers directly, flatten the channel hierarchy and improve the shopping experience in a market dominated by offline consumption, so more consumers would be reached and they could "find" products more easily. 
• realme quickly and comprehensively deploy the global market for young generation. 

 

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