Category: mobiles

For Oppo, 2024 has been a dream run, with the brand registering the highest growth amongst the top five brands in Q3 2024. As per IDC, Oppo led with launches like A3x, K12x and Reno 12 series in the quarter. After securing the second spot in the top smartphone manufacturers list and beating the likes of Realme, Xiaomi, and Motorola, Oppo has made a comeback to the premium segment. The all-new Find X8 series – Find X8 and Find X8 Pro – attempts to be the feather in the hat for Oppo. Gadgets 360 got to talk to Savio D’Souza, Head of Product Communications, Oppo India, to discuss the new launch and much more.

Smartphone premiumisation in India

We wanted to jump straight to the new Find X8 series, which is a return for Oppo in the premium smartphone segment in India. D’Souza explained how the premiumisation trend has entered the smartphone space with increasing ASP (average selling price).

“Indian consumers increasingly seek top-tier smartphones for communication, productivity, entertainment, and payments. A recent IDC report highlights that the premium segment registered the highest growth of 86% in the July-Sept 2024 quarter. The Find X8 Series addresses this demand with cutting-edge features like AI Summary, AI Reflection Remover, AI LinkBoost, a flagship quad-camera system, and a sleek, lightweight design. The timing couldn’t be better for the Find X series to return, as premium innovation is now the need of the hour,” he said.

With new launches in the premium segment, the market is becoming aggressive. How does Oppo’s new Find X8 series fit into the entire premium price range, where iPhones and Samsungs dominate the segment? “With the Find X8 series, we are redefining what smartphones can achieve. The smartphone combines the best from industry leaders—MediaTek, Google, Hasselblad, and Dolby Vision. The Dimensity 9400 chipset powers exceptional performance, while Google Gemini enhances AI personalisation. Hasselblad Imaging provides pro-level photography, and Dolby Vision delivers stunning display quality. Oppo’s proprietary HyperTone Image Engine further optimises photo quality,” D’Souza said.

“With Oppo’s engineering prowess, we have packed all these powerful aspects into a lightweight and sleek device. Together, these technologies create a smartphone that seamlessly blends innovation, performance, and user-centric features, making the Find X8 Series a standout flagship,” he added.

AI to enhance user experience?

When asked about Oppo’s AI ambitions, D’Souza said that the company has a strategy set for consumer needs. “This year, we have integrated generative AI across our lineup—features typically reserved for flagship devices. By the end of 2024, we aim to deliver 50 million AI-powered smartphones globally,” he said.

Find X8 and Find X8 Pro come with the same camera hardware

On being asked about whether AI alone will be the enabler for consumers to make the switch. D’Souza said, “I believe it’s the coming together of hardware, software, and AI that delivers a superior smartphone experience. A good device needs a powerful processor to function efficiently, and AI compliments and, at times, supplements their efforts to elevate the performance.”

Giving the Find X8 series example, D’Souza further explained, “The Find X8 Series is engineered by Oppo for high performance, and it integrates exceptional AI-based functionalities across its camera, productivity, and connectivity systems, all optimised by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset.” But he stressed that Oppo has ensured that they are offering the best camera experience, too.

“The Find X8 Series features a path-breaking quad-camera system with dual telephoto cameras and the AI Telescope Zoom further adds to the camera capabilities. It uses powerful AI algorithms with generative AI models to help users zoom into subjects while preserving clarity and accuracy, even at extreme zoom levels such as up to 120x,” he added.

After-sales support

The after-sales is the backbone of the smartphone business in India. When asked about the updates on service centres from Oppo and if there is any new offering to be announced for Find X8 series support, D’Souza said, “We are a customer-first brand and believe that a strong after-sales support network is central to delivering a premium user experience. We have revamped our after-sales service model with new-generation service centres. Additionally, the digitally led Oppo Self-Help Assistant, aligned with the Indian Government’s ‘Right to Repair’ framework, enables customers to resolve their smartphone issues without visiting a service centre. A strong validation of our efforts is reflected in the recent Counterpoint Research survey, where Oppo India earned the Number 1 position in customer satisfaction for after-sales.”

For the Find X8 series, Oppo announced a host of benefits, like an additional warranty of 365 days on pre-booking till December 2, 2024. The company also introduced ‘Refresh Service’, where customers can replace screen guards and protective cases twice within the warranty tenure and even get them delivered to their homes.

Oppo is also among a handful of brands that offer an International Warranty Service, which means customers can also get maintenance, repairs, and software upgrades in countries where the device is officially available.

2025 – What’s in store?

When asked about Oppo’s 2025 plans, and we are in the last month, D’Souza promised some exciting products in the lineup without sharing many details.

“2024 has been a landmark year for Oppo in terms of AI-driven product innovation with the Reno 12 Series, F Series, and now the Find X8 Series. We will continue to introduce new products and technologies to enable ‘AI for All’. There is a strong focus on bringing Gen AI features across photography, productivity, and performance parameters, and over 5800 AI-related patents have already been filed by Oppo for image processing, computer vision, speech technology, natural language processing, machine learning, etc. There are exciting launches planned in 2025, and you will hear from us at the right time,” he added.

Oppo Find X8 and X8 Pro are now available in India via online and offline channels.

Realme Neo 7 will launch on December 11 and Realme is actively teasing the smartphone through its social media handles in China. The brand confirmed that it will run on MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset. Additionally, the handset has been spotted on China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) website. The listing shows key specifications of the phone including a 6.78-inch display, up to 16GB onboard memory, a maximum of 1TB onboard storage, and dual rear cameras. 

Latest teasers posted by Realme on Weibo reveal that Realme Neo 7 will have a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset under the hood.

Realme Neo 7 Specifications (Expected)

Additionally, a Realme smartphone with model number RMX5060 has surfaced on the MIIT database suggesting its key specifications. This model number is said to belong to the Realme Neo 7. As per the listing, the upcoming phone will be launched in 6GB,8GB,12GB,16GB RAM options and 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options. It is shown with a dual rear camera setup, comprising a 50-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel secondary sensor.

The listing suggests that the Realme Neo 7 will have a 16-megapixel front camera. It is shown with a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with 1,264X2,780 pixel resolution. It could pack a distance sensor, gravity sensor, and light sensor. For authentication, it may include an in-display fingerprint sensor and face unlock feature.

Realme’s Neo 7 is shown to measure 162.55×76.39×8.56mm in size and weigh 213.4 grams. The listing suggests a 6,850mAh battery on the phone, however Realme has already confirmed that the phone will pack a 7,000mAh battery.

The new Realme Neo 7 will launch in China on December 11 at 4:00pm local time (2:30am IST). It is currently up for pre-booking in the country via Realme’s official website and e-commerce sites. The handset will carry a price tag of CNY 2,499 (roughly Rs. 29,100).

Oppo Find X8 series was launched in India on November 21 and its sale commences in the country today. The Chinese smartphone maker has now confirmed the availability and launch offers of its latest flagship handsets. The smartphone lineup comprises two models — Oppo Find X8 and Find X8 Pro, which have become the first smartphones with MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 chipset to debut in India. Both models are equipped with up to four 50-megapixel Hasselblad-tuned cameras and run on ColorOS 15 based on Android 15.

Oppo Find X8 Series Price, Launch Offers

Oppo Find X8 price in India starts at Rs. 69,999 for the base model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while the 16GB + 512GB model is priced at Rs. 79,999. It is available in Space Black and Star Grey colour options.

Meanwhile, the Oppo Find X8 Pro is available in a single 16GB + 512GB storage configuration priced at Rs. 99,999. The handset is sold in Pearl White and Space Black colourways. Both models can be purchased via the Oppo e-store, Flipkart, and retail outlets in the country.

Customers can take advantage of a 10 percent instant cashback on SBI, HDFC Bank, Kotak Bank, Bank of Baroda, and IDFC First Bank card transactions. This translates into a discount of Rs. 9,999 for the Find X8 Pro, Rs. 6,999 for the Find X8 12+256 GB model and Rs. 7,999 for the Find X8 16+512 GB variant.

Further, they can also avail of a 24-month no-cost EMI offer from finance partners such as Bajaj Finserv, TVS Credit, HDB Financial Services, and IDFC First Bank. There’s also an exchange bonus of Rs. 5,000 while existing Oppo customers who trade in their device for the Find X8 series will enjoy an additional Rs. 3,000 off as a loyalty bonus.

Oppo Find X8 Series Specifications

Oppo Find X8 features a 6.59-inch (1,256×2,760 pixels) LTPO AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a peak brightness of 4,500nits, and a 460ppi pixel density. Meanwhile, the Pro model has a 6.78-inch (1,264×2,780 pixels) LTPO AMOLED screen with a pixel density of 450ppi, although the refresh rate and peak brightness remain the same as the standard model.

Both models are powered by MediaTek’s octa-core Dimensity 9400 chip built on TSMC’s 3nm process technology, paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 inbuilt storage. They run on ColorOS 15 based on Android 15.

The Oppo Find X8 is equipped with a 50-megapixel primary camera with a Sony LYT-700 sensor, a 50-megapixel ultrawide lens with a 120-degree field-of-view (FoV), and a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. It has a 32-megapixel front camera for selfies which is also available on the Pro model.

On the other hand, the Oppo Find X8 Pro sports a 50-megapixel primary camera with a LYT-808 sensor. It has the same ultra-wide angle camera and telephoto sensor as the base model but adds a 50-megapixel Sony IMX858 periscope telephoto camera with up to 6x optical zoom.

The Find X8 packs a 5,630mAh silicon carbon battery with support for 80W (SuperVOOC) and 50W (AirVOOC) fast charging, while the Find X8 Pro has a larger 5,910mAh battery that supports the same charging speeds. They also offer 10W reverse wireless charging support.

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Oppo Reno 13 series is scheduled to launch in China on November 25, and the company has been sharing details about its upcoming smartphone over the past week. The successors to the Reno 12 series will be equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chipset and will feature up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage, according to the company. Meanwhile, the smartphone maker has also confirmed that the Reno 13 will be available in three colour options, while the Pro model will be available in four variants.

Oppo Reno 13 Series Specifications, Colour Options

The upcoming Oppo Reno 13 will be available in Butterfly Purple, Galaxy Blue, Midnight Black colour options, according to a post by the company on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging website. The company says that the Oppo Reno Pro will be available in these three colourways as well as an exclusive Starlight Pink variant.

Oppo Reno 13 series colour options
Photo Credit: Screenshot/ Weibo

The standard Reno 13 model will be available in 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB, 16GB+256GB, 16GB+512GB, and 16GB+1TB RAM and storage configurations. The Reno 13 Pro will also be available with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage, in the same variants listed above — except for the 16GB+256GB configuration.

Oppo has also confirmed some of the specifications of its upcoming midrange handsets. The smartphone maker says that the upcoming Reno 13 series will be powered by a Dimensity 8350 chipset from MediaTek. Previous benchmark results suggested the lineup would arrive with the Dimensity 8300, which means that it could be a rebranded version of the same chip.

Oppo Reno 13 specifications
Photo Credit: Weibo/ Oppo

According to Oppo, the upcoming Reno 13 lineup will sport a display with a 1.5K resolution, and the company has also teased a high brightness level. Meanwhile, Oppo has claimed that the battery on the Reno 13 series will be larger than its predecessor and will deliver reliable performance for up to five years.

More details about the handset, including its specifications and price, are expected to be announced when the Oppo Reno 13 series is launched in China on November 25. The company has yet to announce any plans to launch the Reno 13 lineup in global markets, including India. 

Samsung and Apple are currently the two brands that have some great product lineups in the premium category. Although the latest iteration of their flagship products include the Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max, there is some curiosity among users about last year’s flagships. Yes, we are talking about the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. The last year’s flagship from Samsung comes loaded with flagship-grade features and specifications, including the powerful Samsung chipset, pro-grade cameras, long-lasting battery life, impressive display, and some useful AI features.

On the other hand, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is also among the few handsets from Apple that will soon support Apple Intelligence features. So, does it make sense to buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max or go with the Galaxy S23 Ultra? In this article, we have pitted both devices against each other in this specs-based comparison. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Price in India

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max price in India starts at Rs 1,34,900 for the base variant with 256GB of storage. The mid-variant with 512GB comes with a price tag of Rs 1,45,900, while the top-end option with 1TB storage is priced at Rs 1,54,900.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G price in India currently starts at Rs 79,999 for the base variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The top-end 12GB RAM + 512GB model is currently available for as low as Rs 1,14,999.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Design

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max offers a Titanium build. The handset was the first smartphone from Apple to support the Action Button that replaces the single-function switch. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also features an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The iPhone is available in Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium and Natural Titanium. The iPhone 15 Pro Max measures 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25mm and weighs 221 grams.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra features a premium design and was the first handset in the S-series to come equipped with a built-in S-Pen. The smartphone offers an armour aluminium frame and comes equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection coupled with an IP68 rating. The handset is available in Phantom Black, Green, and Cream colour options. The Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G measures 1163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9mm and weighs 234 grams.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Display

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is loaded with a 6.7-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display. The handset offers a resolution of 1290×2796 pixels and ProMotion technology with up to 120Hz screen refresh rate. The handset also features up to 1,000nits of peak brightness, HDR, True Tone, Dynamic Island, and Ceramic Shield protection.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G packs a 6.8-inch Quad HD+ Infinity-O-Edge Dynamic AMOLED display. The screen has a resolution of 3088 x 1440 pixels and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It also features up to 1,750nits of peak brightness, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Performance and OS

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is powered by the Apple A17 Pro chipset. The SoC packs a 6-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max packs up to 512GB of internal storage. The device runs on the latest iOS 18 operating system. Moreover, Apple has already confirmed that the iPhone 15 Pro series will get Apple Intelligence.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that is specially made for the Galaxy handset. The chipset offers an Adreno 740 GPU. It also packs 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Cameras

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is equipped with a triple-camera setup on the rear panel. The handset packs a 48-megapixel wide-angle primary camera with sensor-shift OIS support, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture, and a 12-megapixel ‘tetraprism’ periscope sensor with 5x optical zoom and 25x digital zoom. On the front, the handset is equipped with a 12-megapixel TrueDepth sensor with f/1.9 aperture.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G packs a quad-camera setup. The device features a 200-megapixel ISOCELL HP2 primary sensor with OIS support, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens with 120-degree FoV, a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom, and a 10-megapixel periscope lens with 10x zoom, and 100x space zoom. On the front, the handset comes equipped with a 12-megapixel Dual Pixel selfie camera with f/2.2 aperture.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Battery

In terms of battery, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery. The handset features 45W fast wired charging support, 10W Qi wireless charging, and wireless powershare.

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max features a 4,441mAh lithium-ion battery that can deliver up to 29 hours of video playback. The handset features up to 25W fast charging support.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Conclusion

To conclude, both models offer some interesting features and specifications, which still make sense in 2024. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Review) offers a premium design and brings some interesting camera features, coupled with flagship performance. The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max (Review) offers a premium design, flagship performance, pro-grade cameras, and a good display. Moreover, it is again a great option for those who don’t want to buy the new iPhone but still want to experience the Apple Intelligence features.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comparison

	Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max	Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Key Specs
Display	6.70-inch	6.80-inch
Processor	Apple A17 Pro	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Front Camera	12-megapixel	12-megapixel
Rear Camera	48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel	200-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 10-megapixel
RAM	8GB	8GB, 12GB
Storage	256GB, 512GB, 1TB	256GB, 512GB, 1TB
OS	iOS 17	Android 13
Resolution	1290×2796 pixels	–
Battery Capacity	–	5000mAh

See full Comparison »

Samsung Galaxy S25 series is expected to launch in January, this time comprising four models rather than the usual three: the base Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra, and a new Galaxy S25 Slim variant that may debut later. The top-of-the-line Galaxy S25 Ultra model may feature certain tweaks to its iconic boxy design, and recently surfaced dummy units of the purported handset corroborate this change. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is likely to get a more rounded appearance this time around. The leak suggests a design strategy shift compared to the existing Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Dummy Units Leak

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), tipster @Jukanlosreve shared a couple of images of the dummy units of the purported Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The leak suggests that the South Korean technology conglomerate’s flagship non-foldable smartphone will undergo design changes, favouring rounded edges over flat ones. Two of the four colourways of the smartphone, including a black shade, are also showcased with the dummy units.

Dummy Units of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Photo Credit: X/Jukanlosreve

This marks the second time that dummy units of the Galaxy S25 Ultra have surfaced, showcasing its tweaked design. With its purported smartphone, the company is speculated to move away from the boxy design that has become synonymous with Samsung’s Ultra models in recent years.

However, it may still have similar design elements carried over from the current models, including the placement of power and volume buttons on the right spine and an identical rear camera layout.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Specifications (Expected)

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is expected to be equipped with a 6.86-inch AMOLED screen with thinner bezels than its predecessor, as per reports. The purported handset may sport a 200-megapixel primary camera, a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto camera, a 50-megapixel 5x telephoto camera, and an upgraded 50-megapixel ultrawide camera.

It is expected to be powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, with support for up to 16GB of RAM. The phone could pack a 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W charging. A recent report indicates that the handset’s bill of materials (BoM) is at least $110 roughly Rs. 9,300) higher than its predecessor, hinting towards a price hike in select markets.