back to article 5G is Chinese firms' foot in the door to Europe as Oppo launches flagship Reno mobe in Zurich

While some governments obsess about Huawei, the impending launch of 5G is giving lesser-known Chinese upstarts a hope of cracking elusive Western smartphone markets – as Oppo demonstrated today in Zurich. Last week Swisscom turned on the first commercial 5G network in Europe, and newcomer Oppo used the Swiss city to show off …

  1. martinusher Silver badge

    The Dam Breaks....

    2019 will go down in history as the year that the Chinese stopped being primarily outsourcers and started being major players in their own right, leading with both technology and price/performance. They probably got pushed into this -- their culture may prefer to be non-confrontational but the attacks on first ZTE and then Huawei suggest that there's nothing to be gained from this so they might as well just go pedal to the metal competitive.

    The scary bit (from our perspective) is that this isn't just happening with phones and mobile infrastructure.

    1. jgarbo

      Re: The Dam Breaks....

      Non-confrontational Chinese are as big as myth as the British stiff upper lip. They may be quieter and more polite in public but off stage they're tigers. The Americans are now copying them in their own "backyard" tech. 2020 should see real fireworks.

  2. tmTM

    5G ??

    We need this right??

    1. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

      Re: 5G ??

      We need this right??

      Well - according the the usual sterling[1] BBC coverage of the launch of 5G yesterday, it'll lead us to a promised land of smart devices and systems that will revolutionise our modern world..

      I jest not.

      [1] The segment was poor, even by the very, very low standards of the BBC tech coverage - it featured an academic speaking in glowing terms about the new utopia that '5G' makes possible without any mention that 5G would only be a very, very small part of said revolution. I came very close to rage-quitting said programme and listening to something more in-depth like "Have I got News for you". Which would be like going from a McDonalds Happy Meal to a 13-course tasting menu prepared by the finest chefs..

  3. Milton

    The injection model

    First sentence mentions Huawei and government fretting, putting me in mind of news today about a leak from UK government about future policy. The imbecility of our "leaders" once again staggers me.

    Before your acrimonious divorce, your wife, as a GP, used to treat you herself.

    For legal reasons it remains the case that if you die she will reap a large financial benefit.

    You're under the weather, feeling rough and with a spot of painful gout.

    Dropping the kids at her house one evening, she notes your condition and, with uncharacteristic sympathy, offers a powerful cocktail of vitamins injected straight into your jugular. She's done it before, in happier times, without harm.

    This time, considering the bank balance and because you are a nasty suspicous type ... you regretfully demur.

    But you do agree to a local analgesic injection into your burning, gouty toe. Because it's "non-core".

    I suggest this admittedly clumsy analogy will illustrate even to the dimmest of the dim (politicians) why, if you don't trust a tech provider, the idea of allowing them only "non core" access as a way of securing your health is risibly stupid.

    (Oh, and for those still arguing about why we might be sterilising ourselves of Chinese tech, I will simply repeat: Capabilities, not Intentions.)

  4. si 4

    Launched last November?

    I bought an Oppo Find 7 from their official store 5 years ago, was a decent phone at the time one of the first with 4g and fast charging.

    Sadly the phone died a couple of years later due to corruption of the RAM leading to resets.

  5. si 4

    Oppo launched last November?

    I bought an Oppo Find 7 in the UK from their official online store 5 years ago, was a decent phone at the time as it was one of the first with 4g and the first afaik with fast charging.

    Sadly the phone died a couple of years later due to corruption of the RAM leading to resets.

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