Chinese smartphone giant Oppo enters tech pact with top EV maker BYD, acquires AI start-up

The latest initiatives by Oppo show its ambition to diversify and expand its business beyond the smartphone industry

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Oppo expects to roll out generative artificial intelligence functions to its 50 million smartphone users by the end of this year. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 7:30pm, 23 Oct 2024

Chinese smartphone giant Oppo and BYD, the country’s leading electric vehicle (EV) maker, have entered into a strategic technology collaboration to push interoperability between advanced handsets and smart cars.

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 Tengshi Z9 GT intelligent sedan.

Separately, Oppo is also in the process of acquiring artificial intelligence (AI) start-up AIWaves, according to a report on Tuesday by Jiemian, a Chinese digital media outlet affiliated with state-backed Shanghai United Media Group.

Oppo’s new flagship 5G smartphone series, Find X8. Photo: Weibo

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.