Boost for emerging 5G-enhanced digital services

Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CyberMedia Research had a freewheeling discussion with Tasleem Arif, VP and Head-R&D, OPPO around enabling 5G ecosystem in India.

Prabhu: In a post-virus era, how do you see the role of 5G as an enabler for consumer lives?

Tasleem: From social engagement norms to the way we work, 2020 has witnessed a lot of change including our lifestyle. More time spent at home during the pandemic has resulted in a boost of interest in emerging 5G-enhanced digital services, such as cloud gaming, immersive education (like digital AR books for kids) or services that offer remote digital live event experiences.

The catalyst to driving this growth will be the adoption of 5G in India which will enhance the quality of life for users. 5G's fast network speed, low latency, and massive connectivity should allow consumers with uninterrupted streaming of high-quality video content such as UHD, 4K, 8K which include all paid OTT video, AI-based video content and premium esports streaming.

5G will enable consumers to futher explore their interests and integrate it ito their daily life for better internet of experience. One-third of those considering taking up 5G will continue to engage with core digital services including video on-demand streaming subscriptions, high-fidelity music and live sport streaming services.

Prabhu: How crucial is R&D in making a remarkable change in pushing tech forward?

Tasleem: OPPO has always focused on innovation in order to make our users future-ready and add value to their lives and experience. With our brand vision ‘Technology for Mankind and Kindness for world’, our entire approach is towards making life of our users better everyday.

Our technology development strategy ‘3+N+X’, is a clear indication of our vision of ‘tech for people’ and our brand philosophy of building great products for our users. As part of this strategy, the “3” refers to the three underlying technologies, namely hardware, software and services technologies, which help OPPO to bring an integrated smart life to users worldwide. “N”, represents a number of OPPO's essential capabilities, including AI, security and privacy, multimedia, and interconnectivity. Lastly, "X", refers to the leading-edge and differentiated technologies and strategic resources such as the flash charge technology that foster innovation and greatly improve user experience.

With this strategy R&D plays a crucial role in understanding the requirement of our users and coming up with localised solutions. The R&D team at Hyderabad is working relentlessly on product localization and innovation in fields such as software, imaging, and communication network. Being the largest R&D centre outside of China, it is a key enabler for the implementation of our 3+N+X strategy and accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies in the Indian market.

Our research and technology is not only making a breakthrough to impact the Indian OPPO users but marking its imprint on the global map as well. The overseas market is very reliant on our Hyderabad research and development team. Our techies’ footprint can be found on OPPO phones in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Prabhu: OPPO has a strong patent portfolio. Talk to us about OPPO’s innovation-led culture.

Tasleem: Innovation is embedded into the DNA of OPPO. By following ‘Virtuous innovation’, we at OPPO are ensuring that technology empowers people. The dedication of team OPPO can be witnessed through the different global benchmarks set by us which have led us to stay at the centre of innovation in the industry.

The concept technologies demonstrated at the 2020 edition of OPPO Inno Day including OPPO X 2021 Rollable concept handset, OPPO AR Glass 2021, CybeReal AR application showcases how OPPO integrates technological innovation with a human touch in order to give users value by offering personalized technology that is appropriate and relevant. Going forward, OPPO will continue to collaborate with partners, illuminating the future of humane technology.

Prabhu: With reference to 5G, how do you see India’s 5G journey?

Tasleem: Unlike 3G or 4G, 5G is currently the first globally unified communication standard. This means that 5G has lower promotion costs, more flexible applications, and greater potential than previous communication standards. Even though many global countries have seen the deployment of 5G, the development has not yet reached its full capacity and is at nascent stage. Currently 92 operators in 38 countries and regions have deployed 5G in their real-time networks.

India will be a major market for 5G services and we can expect to see a lot more progress in this sector. 5G will be a key driver for Industrial Revolution 4.0. Enterprise use cases that utilise massive IoT with ultra-reliable, low-latency communications to transform verticals such as manufacturing, utilities, healthcare, retail, agriculture and automotive, will gain significant efficiencies as they adopt 5G at scale. We witnessed how 4G affect people in past few years, 5G is expected to achieve wider coverage in the next few years, and there will also be more diverse 5G devices and innovative 5G services.

OPPO India is also at the forefront of India’s 5G push. We are among the few OEMs in India to invest in state-of-the-art 5G simulators. While most 5G tests in India involved non-standalone models, OPPO developed their solutions on stand-alone platforms – which meant testing devices with an authentic 5G set-up. The team here is now working with various Indian operators on solutions to make 5G technology less complex and more affordable.

Prabhu: OPPO is working with start-ups, academia and State Governments. How is OPPO catalyzing the innovation ecosystem in India?

Tasleem: At OPPO India, we not only encourage innovation in-house but have also tied up with multiple other organizations to encourage a wave of innovation across the country. We have partnered with T-hub and also signed MoU with Government of Kerala , to support the startup ecosystem. Through the collaboration, we aim to scale up opportunities for some of the most innovative startups in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, network, battery, camera and image processing, gaming, and system performance.

We are also working with IIT Hyderabad to make localized camera solutions, specifically targeting the requirements of the Indian requirements identified by detailed consumer research. Imaging effects have been specifically designed and tuned for the India skin tone.

Prabhu: Talk to us about OPPO’s 5G-specific R&D initiatives globally and in India. How is the Indian scientific talent enabling innovations and IP in making 5G possible.

Tasleem: OPPO has always attached great importance to the development of patents, with continuing effort on the exploration of cutting-edge technology. As of September 2020, OPPO has submitted over 3,000 5G standard-related proposals to 3GPP, declared over 1,000 families of 5G standard patents to the ETSI. It has deployed its 5G standard patents in over 20 countries.

As an early adopter in the 5G journey, OPPO became the first tech brand to launch 5G mobile products in the European market and organized the first 5G WhatsApp call from India. It was honored in early 2015 to be the only device manufacturer participating in the global push for the unification of a standard and has now become one of the most influential smartphone manufacturers contributing to the development of 5G standards.

The India R&D team of OPPO is also working closely with leading industry chain partners like Jio, Airtel, Qualcomm, MediaTek, and others to soon realize the dream of a 5G experience for every smartphone user in India.

With the set up of our first 5G innovation lab at Hyderabad R&D centre we aim at elevating the global 5G experience and strengthen the overall ecosystem. The new lab will deepen the development of core product technologies for the 5G ecosystem and accelerate its rollout in the country. The technologies developed at the lab will mark a global footprint while promising our vision to make India an innovation hub. With the new 5G lab set-up our India team will also be leading 5G led innovations for other countries including Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Japan, and Europe.