Exclusive | Oppo said to push ahead with smartphone sales in Hong Kong in face of ongoing anti-government protests
- The Hong Kong plan is part of a global push outside the domestic market amid stiff competition and where overall shipments are declining
Chinese smartphone brand Oppo will soon start official handset sales in Hong Kong through several selected local partners, pushing ahead with expansion plans at a time when local anti-government protests have resulted in several mainland-affiliated businesses being attacked.
The Dongguan-based company, the world’s fifth largest smartphone vendor, will officially enter the Hong Kong market by launching one of its latest smartphone models – the Reno 2 – in the city, according to people familiar with the matter who declined to be named as the information is private.
The Oppo Reno 2, a mid-range handset priced at 2,999 yuan (US$420) and launched in mainland China on September 10, will be sold in some shops belonging to local carriers and retail chains in Hong Kong, according to the people, who added that there were no plans to operate the brand with offline stand-alone shops at this point.
The announcement, which is already behind the original plan and could be made as early as this week, is part of a global push outside the domestic market amid stiff competition and where overall shipments are declining. Oppo is the last major Chinese smartphone brand without an official presence in Hong Kong.
A company spokeswoman declined to comment on its Hong Kong plans.
Hong Kong has seen increased penetration by mainland Chinese phone brands in recent years although Apple iPhones and Samsung handsets remain the most popular in the market of some 7 million people.
