Oppo launched into the New Zealand market in March this year. As Idealog reported at the time, the company sells more smartphones in China, the world’s largest smartphone market, than anyone else – with sales growth of more than 120 percent last year. In the first quarter of 2017, the earlier Oppo R9s became the best-selling Android phone in the world, according to Strategy Analytics.

At its launch, Oppo introduced three models – the R9s, F1s and A39 – to Aotearoa. The R11 is a significant upgrade, equipped with a high-performance and power-efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset (the first phone to have it), as well as an upgraded ColorOS 3.1 operating system, providing a faster and more secure user experience.

But more disruptive is this: the R11 is the first phone available to the New Zealand public that has dual SIM cards. Oppo New Zealand sales director Terence Tan says the idea is convenient when multiple carriers offer multiple plans and consumers don’t want to be locked in to a single plan if something better comes up. “In Singapore, we have different plans offered from different competitors that are very competitive in terms of data usage. So sometimes Carrier A will come out with a new package that is ’20GB at this price,’ and then someone will come out with something even better. So we have choices for data plans. So what I think that can translate into this market is something similar. People will have choices.”

Oppo’s R11 launch event in Auckland on August 22.

The dual SIMS will also appeal to people who travel overseas and need a SIM card for data and for businesspeople who want to keep their business and personal lives separate. “One is for travelling. It will make travelling much more convenient. Two is when different carriers have different plans that fit your needs, you can pick the SIM from the carrier you want while keeping the number all your friends know. You can have flexibility.”

Dual sims aside, the R11 is Oppo’s first model to sport a 20MP+16MP rear dual camera, as well as having a 20MP front-facing camera. Oppo worked with Qualcomm to customise a flagship image processor for the R11, the 14-bit Qualcomm Spectra 160 ISP, and optimised its performance on the Snapdragon 660 Mobile Platform. Together with its IMX398 sensor and a big f/1.7 aperture, the R11 boasts a faster focus speed than the R9s model, with more vivid colours and better low-light capabilities.

New software enhancements also mean the R11’s rear dual camera provides a more natural bokeh effect. The R11 intelligently adjusts exposure levels between the portrait subjects and the background by automatically identifying more than 100 everyday scene settings, like “park” or “bar.” Users can automatically shoot clear and bright portraits in very different environments by simply activating the “portrait” function on the camera.

The whole thing runs on ColorOS 3.1, based on Android 7.1, giving added security and encryption for mobile payments. Files can be transferred in four easy steps, without the need for an internet connection. On top of that, the R11 boasts a 5.5-inch high-definition display screen on a 1.6mm frame, giving users an outstanding visual display. It has 4GB RAM, 64GB on-board storage, and supports up to a 256GB micro SD card. The phone can also be unlocked with fingerprint identification.

It’s a well-known problem that the more powerful your phone is, and the more apps it runs, the faster the battery drains. The R11 can charge from 0 to 75 percent power in 30 minutes, which is the same as the R9.

 Oppo New Zealand marketing director Kuan Li thinks the R11 will appeal to business consumers and ordinary Kiwis. “We are excited for Kiwis to get hands on with the device and experience the improved technology, enhanced features and premium look and feel for themselves,” he says. ““Undoubtedly, the R11 will be the new camera phone favoured by young consumers for its fashionable appearance and greatly enhanced user experience.”

R11 pricing and availability

RRP: $769

Stockists: The new device will be available from the 28th August, including Noel Leeming, 2degreesmobile, JB Hi-Fi and PB Tech.

On Plan: 2degrees – $21 per month on a $39.95 plan or above. Upfront cost $29.

R11 specifications

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Size                             154.5×74.8×6.8mm

Weight                       150g (with BATT)

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Basics

Colour                        Gold, Black

Operating System    ColorOS 3.1, Android 7.1

Processor                   Qualcomm SDM 660, Octa-core (4 x2.2GHz, 4 x1.9GHz)

RAM                           4GB

Storage                      64GB (Support microSD card up to 256GB)

Battery                       3000mAh (Typical Value) Li-Po Battery (unremovable)

Charger                      VOOC Flash Charge mini

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Display

Size                             5.5”

Type                           AMOLED (PPI 401)

Resolution                 FHD (1920 by 1080 pixels)

Colours                      16 million colours

Touchscreen              Multi-touch

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Camera

Rear Camera              16M (f/1.7) + 20M (f/2.6)

Rear Sensor               IMX398 + IMX376

Front Camera            20M (f/2.0)

Flash                           Supported

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Connectivity

SIM                             Dual Nano-SIM Cards

GPS                             Supported

Bluetooth                  4.2 LE

Wi-Fi                          802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

NFC                             No

OTG                            Supported

Sensors                      E-compass, G-sensor, Gyro-meter, Light and Proximity Sensor