Chinese smartphone giant Oppo enters tech pact with top EV maker BYD, acquires AI start-up
Chinese smartphone giant Oppo and BYD have entered into a strategic technology collaboration to push interoperability between advanced handsets and smart cars.
Nio with its Nio Phone may have a headstart in this area.
The two companies have agreed to work on a series of technologies that will enable Oppo's Android smartphones to unlock and control EVs from BYD, according to their joint statement.
In their first collaboration, Oppo's latest flagship 5G handset series, Find X8, uses over-the-air connectivity to control Shenzhen-based BYD's recently launched Denza Z9 GT intelligent sedan.
Separately, Oppo is also in the process of acquiring artificial intelligence (AI) start-up AIWaves, according to a report on Tue by Jiemian, a Chinese digital media outlet affiliated with state-backed Shanghai United Media Group.
The latest initiatives by Oppo show its ambition to diversify and expand its business beyond the smartphone industry, following similar efforts by telecommunications equipment maker Huawei Technologies, which is also involved in AI, semiconductor design, cloud computing services and the smart-vehicle supply chain.
Dongguan-based Oppo was ranked as the world's No 4 smartphone vendor in the third quarter, according to research firm IDC, behind Samsung Electronics, Apple and Xiaomi.
With the AIWaves acquisition, Oppo is expected to integrate a range of generative AI (GenAI) applications into its devices. Founded in March 2023, AIWaves earlier this year released its self-developed large language model - the technology underpinning GenAI services like ChatGPT - called "Weaver".
Oppo expects to roll out GenAI functions to its 50 million smartphone users by the end of this year. These functions will be rolled out across its product portfolio, from affordable handsets to premium models, as part of a strategy to make AI accessible to everyone, Nicole Zhang, Oppo's general manager of AI products, said in Jun.
The founder of AIWaves - a company backed by various investors including Lanchi Ventures, formerly the China arm of US fund BlueRun Ventures - will join Oppo after the acquisition is completed, according to the Jiemian report, which cited unnamed sources. The acquisition price was not disclosed.
AIWaves' flagship product is Wawa Writing, known as Frog Writing in English, a tool that assists in a range of writing tasks including marketing copy and fiction. It is also able to generate 100,000 Chinese words in 10 minutes, according to the start-up.
Other major Chinese Android smartphone makers, including Vivo, Huawei and Xiaomi, have previously unveiled similar plans to provide GenAI capabilities into their handsets to help make notes for phone calls, write text messages and enhance photography.
Disclaimer: Community is offered by Moomoo Technologies Inc. and is for educational purposes only.
Read more
Comment
Sign in to post a comment
Moo Contributor
Follow me to get useful analysis, learn TA and make profitable trades.
Maximise profit 利润最大化
8428Followers
48Following
27KVisitors
Follow
Dragon Fish : Nio should have done that instead of setting up own smartphone that's burning cash.![[undefined]](https://static.moomoo.com/nnq/emoji/static/image/default/default-black.png?imageMogr2/thumbnail/36x36 "undefined")
bullabull : Convergence of techs, it's has to be a user friendly seamless ecosystem like Huawei, Xiaomi etc. This is the trend forward merging mobile, car and home.
bullrider_21 OP bullabull : Yes, I think so too.