After a year of absence, the Chinese smartphone giant is making a comeback with the Reno 12 and Reno 12 Pro. In an increasingly saturated market, does Oppo still have its chances?
Almost ten years after its entry into the telephone market in China, Oppo chose in 2018 to launch on French soil. After several flourishing years in France, the firm decided to abandon the marketing of its smartphones until further notice. Officially, Oppo had left France because of a dispute with the giant Nokia, which accused its counterpart of using its 4G and 5G patents without having paid for a license in France and Germany. Its employees nevertheless contest this justification, since Oppo closed its French branch without waiting for the outcome of the court.
In 2023, the exclusive French distributor of the brand, Yang Technology SAS, had ceased to sell their smartphones. Justice finally decided against Oppo, which closed too early for nothing. The brand has decided to relaunch its French activity, without its employees, this time by marketing its products itself. There are no longer any independent French subsidiaries.
“Residents in all European countries where OPPO was already present will soon be able to benefit from the brand’s innovative products again. OPPO will form a three-year strategic alliance with the Telefónica group, strengthening its expansion in Europe »declared OPPO at the MWC 2024 show.
Reno 12 series: Oppo’s comeback in France
After a year of absence on French soil, OPPO is making its comeback with the Reno 12 range (there is the Reno 12 and the Reno 12 Pro). The two models didn’t come completely out of the hat since they were presented in China last month.
Announced at attractive prices of €449.90 for the Reno 12 and €549.90 for the Reno 12 Pro, these smartphones aim to reconquer an already dense and competitive market. The notable differences between the two versions lie in the camera, where OPPO had to make some compromises to lower the prices.
| Camera | 50 MP, 8 MP, 2 MP |
| Front camera | 32 MP |
| Screen size | 6.7 inches |
| Screen Definition | 2412 x 1080 pixels |
| Processor – manufacturer | Mediatek |
| Processor – model | Dimensity 7300-Energy |
| Weight | 177g |
| Release date | 06/18/2024 |
| Battery capacity | 5000mAh |
| Fingerprint unlocking | Under the screen |
| Camera | 50 MP, 8 MP, 50 MP |
| Front camera | 50 MP |
| Screen size | 6.7 inches |
| Screen Definition | 2412 x 1080 pixels |
| Processor – manufacturer | Mediatek |
| Processor – model | Dimensity 7300-Energy |
| Weight | 180g |
| Release date | 06/18/2024 |
| Battery capacity | 5000mAh |
| Fingerprint unlocking | Under the screen |
Are Oppo Reno 12 smartphones worth it?
As an angle of attack, the Chinese firm focused on “artificial intelligence” functionalities (how original). Embedded in the ColorOS 14.1 operating system (Oppo’s Android overlay), the AI powers various functions for photography, such as:
- AI Best Face: to improve the quality of faces in photos
- AI Clear Face: to make blurry images sharp
- AI Studio: to transform the atmosphere of a photo
- AI Eraser 2.0: a smart eraser that allows you to easily edit photos
- AI Best Face: to improve the quality of faces in photos
Beyond this rather convincing photo editing aspect, with the AI Toolbox, the Reno relies on Google Gemini to offer generative AI functions such as:
- AI Writer: to predict texts for social networks
- AI Summary: to summarize text
- AI Recording Summary: to summarize an audio recording in text format
On the hardware side, the Reno 12s feature a Dimensity 7300-Energy chip and 5G compatibility (with the license this time). Its screen is made up of a 6.7-inch curved AMOLED panel, very appreciable on a mid-range phone. We can only hope that the chip holds up, since MediaTek SoCs are not always the best. Below 500 euros, Oppo nevertheless has margin.
With this type of feature, the Reno 12s position themselves as serious contenders in the category of best mid-range smartphones. Competition on the French market is fierce, but the value for money is at first glance interesting.
Available for pre-order from June 21 from noon (for first deliveries in mid-July), these new Oppo models could well grab market share from Samsung and Xiaomi, the two leaders in the Android market. It remains to be seen whether Oppo will have the same striking power as before its departure.
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