Chinese smartphones frequently have their names changed to multiple model names to appeal to different markets across the world. The two largest Chinese tech conglomerates using this strategy are the BBK Group and Xiaomi (with its subbrands Redmi, Poco, and Xiaomi) (with its sub-brands Oppo, Realme, Narzo, OnePlus, Vivo and iQOO).
What if, however, the upcoming smartphone was released with exactly the same specifications as the previous one?
This could be a first for the sector because the most recent Oppo Reno 8 Z 5G, which was made available in Southeast Asia last month, shares 100% of its features with the Oppo Reno 7 Z 5G, which was also made available there.
As you can see, the new Reno 8 Z has the exact same triple camera setup, identical 6.43" 60Hz screen with identical brightness specs, identical 4500 mAh battery, identical 33W SuperVOOC charging, identical Snapdragon 695 5G SoC under the hood, and even identical 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 base storage.
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The back camera island, which has been extended to the phone's plastic frame, is the sole variation between the two models. However, even the position of the camera on the module has not altered, and the Oppo Reno 8 Z weighs 181g as opposed to the 173g of the Oppo Reno 7 Z, making the phone even thicker and heavier.
The even stranger fact is that in 2022, the Oppo Reno 7 Z (and Oppo Reno 8 Z) were rebranded and launched in numerous Asian and European territories under various aliases. Here is a brief list of the product's names in various markets:
Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines) Oppo Reno 7 Z 5G, March 2022
Oppo F21 Pro 5G - April 2022, India
North America will get the OnePlus Nord N20 5G in April 2022.
April 2022 for the Oppo Reno 7 Lite in Europe
Oppo Reno 8 Lite - June 2022, Spain
Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines), Oppo Reno 8 Z 5G, August 2022
It's not obvious why innovation is stalling for both Oppo and OnePlus smartphones in 2022, whether it's due to a chip shortage or a lack of competition in the market. But before buying a device, as smartphone users ourselves, we should be knowledgeable about the company's policies and product releases. And this time, the Oppo Reno 8 Z is essentially just an older smartphone that has been given a new exterior in order to be sold.
