This has been a busy year for mobile manufacturing companies, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global smartphone shipments increased by 4.0% (year over year) to 316.1 million units in 2024’s third quarter.
2024 welcomed many innovative phone designs and software features, these innovations span from on-device Generative AI, inductive charging and over-the-air charging, computational photography and phone designs ranging from fold to flip to rollable displays. The evolution of smartphones is only getting better and better by the years. Phone manufactures are taking into consideration the needs and wants of their brand users, incorporating innovative features that meet consumers’ needs.
AI driven features
This year we have seen a shift in the phone manufacturing industry as many phone brands are moving towards an all-AI driven user experience.AI has been incorporated in functions like connectivity, photography and productivity. This year, OPPO made a commitment to democratize AI to every of its users by introducing AI functionality like the AI Link Boost and Beacon link providing more seamless connectivity to users regardless of their network conditions.
Moreover, the incorporation of the AI recording summary functionality enables users to record meetings and lessons and get a summarized version of the same in real time.
Sustainability
At OPPO, we have committed ourselves to software sustainability, in which the principle of greenness is applied to the whole product lifecycle. Guided by our mission of “Technology for Mankind, Kindness for the World,” OPPO creates value in areas such as virtuous innovation, environmental protection, ecosystem engagement, operation and compliance, and employee care. We have set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality across our global operation by 2050 through transitioning to renewable energy sources and enhancing energy efficiency. We are also working to reduce plastic in our packaging, recycle old smartphones, and advance digital inclusion and health initiatives. Our goal is a sustainable, environmentally-friendly value chain benefiting all. Additionally, in a bid to meeting consumers economical needs, phone manufactures are striving to make their phones as sustainable as possible, ensuring consumers get to enjoy their purchases for a lengthier period. Key features such as the Gorilla Glass 7i, strengthened Alloy frameworks and sponge bionic cushioning that have been incorporated in phones such as the Reno 12, ensure that the phone remains in function even after it faces an incident.
The battery life has also been taken into consideration as phone manufactures have worked to increase battery life in their devises while also increasing the charging speed. Typically, the modern smartphone battery’s lifespan ranges from 2-3 years, this however, can be adjusted with incorporating software like Battery Health Engines or dual-cell battery systems that sustain battery health lifespan. For two years now, OPPO has incorporated Battery Health Engine in all its device, guaranteeing their customers that their gadgets will last them at least 5 years, which is significantly longer than the industry standard.
Camera advancements
In this year’s recently launched phones, we have seen AI perform best in camera functions through incorporating computational photography as an alternative to optical photography. For instance, the OPPO AI Portrait feature, allows users to get the chance at creating studio-like professional photos through the AI Eraser, AI Clear face and AI Studio features that were incorporated in the Reno 12 Series.
AI is boosting the camera feature giving it a more powerful performance. Whether it’s taking closeup or distant photos, creating film like moments and motion pictures, AI is breathing life into photography for everyone.
In this fast-paced community, who know what tomorrow holds. Todays’ invention is tomorrows’ foundation for another invention, this becomes so clear in the mobile industry, but one thing for sure is that consumers are relying on brands to ensure sustainability of their purchases. We live in a world where phones are traded-in for an upgraded one in instead of being thrown away. In such a community, one would need a phone that when traded in, provides more value hence reducing the amount needed to top-up.
There is so much AI can do to make the world a better place, I hope to see such positive progress in 2025.
Fredrique Achieng, PR Manager at OPPO Kenya.
