Realme which until recently was known as sub-brand of Oppo is all set to part ways with its parent company. In thehome country, China, both are now independent entities, and in India, Realme will be a standalone company by Septemeber this year.
Spokesperson of Realme said to The Mobile Indian, ” the process of establishingRealme’s independent identity in India has already commenced and the necessary paperwork and the filling are underway.” Sources have informed us that the formalities will be over by Septemeber and Oppo and Realme are currently working as independent identities in India.
Interestingly,BBK Electronics which initially invested in Vivo, followed by Oppoand then in OnePlus which was founded by Ex vice-presidents of Oppo Pete Lau and Carl Pei is also the investor in the new avatar of Realme as well.
In a related development Sky Li, the current Global Vice President of Oppo has also quit his positionand aims to create his own legacy by building the recently-launched Realme brand into a success. Realme had recently made its debut in the Indian market with the launch of its first smartphone, the Realme 1. The phone becomes a success due to its affordable price tag and aggressive specifications.
In an email to the employes of Realme, Sky Li wrote, “Before leaving Oppo officially, I’ve been in charge of OPPO’s global overseas market during these past few years, leading OPPO to grow from the business available in 3 markets to one that covers 31 countries and regions. The overwhelming response and trust from the young generation is something that has encouraged me to launch the new brand Realme.”
Sky Li is following Pete Lau steps to create his legacy. Pete Lau left Oppo to build a new brand, OnePlus. Sky Li has worked closely with the Oppo Indian team and he is credited with the success of Oppo in India. He has also promised an India-first approach for the Realme brand, meaning that the phones under Li rule could be price aggressively around Rs 20,000 price range and they might offer some top-of-the-line specifications.
Realme first smartphone, Realme 1, received some tremendous response from the customers. The company was able to sell around 4 lakh units of its maiden phone and it currently stands at the leaderboard when it comes to highest ranking on Amazon or consumers rating. It would be interesting to see what will be the next strategy for this new brand. Whether will it be able to grab noticeable market share in the Indian smartphone market and repeat the success of what OnePlus did in the mid-premium segment.