2024 for Realme has been an action-packed yr with a number of launches up to now. The 13 Professional collection is the most recent addition to the corporate’s numbered flagship portfolio. The launch noticed a number of firsts claims from the Realme model, together with the world’s first TUV Rheinland Excessive-Decision Digicam Certification and an unique partnership with Sony for the LYT-701 OIS Digicam. And, we thought, who else is best than the CEO to speak about all of this? Sky Li, Founder and CEO of Realme, in an unique interplay with Devices 360, spoke in regards to the newest 13 Professional collection launch, 2024 plans, why AI is the way forward for telephones and far more.
Realme’s plan for 2024 in India and past
We began with this yr’s plans for the model. Realme has a smartphone portfolio that features the GT collection for customers in search of excessive efficiency and the Quantity collection for imaging and design. On the identical time, C-series targets the mass market with important performance.
“2024 has certainly been a big yr for Realme, particularly in India. Our portfolio enlargement within the nation aligns with our international strategy of specializing in younger customers and embodies our spirit of “Make it actual”. Our focus is on offering distinctive client experiences and to fulfill the dynamic wants of the youthful demographic,” Li instructed Devices 360.
On being requested about targets for this yr, Li confirmed that the model is seeking to improve gross sales by 10 % this yr in India. Within the subsequent 5 years, Li instructed us that Realme plans to penetrate 100 new markets globally, “underscoring our unwavering dedication to sustained development and worldwide presence.”
In 2024, Realme goals to promote 10 million smartphones, 7-8 million of which it desires to be 5G-enabled and offered by offline channels.
Speaking about R&D, Li claimed that Realme plans to extend spending considerably for this. “We’re additionally planning a considerable 470 % improve in R&D spending, which highlights our concentrate on strengthening technological capabilities. Our strategic focus revolves round pioneering breakthroughs in key technological domains, together with imaging, efficiency, show, and charging,” he added.
This yr has been a yr of strategic enlargement and innovation for Realme in India, and we stay up for persevering with this momentum within the coming years.
Hey realme followers, do not miss out the thrilling information tomorrow. #realme https://t.co/I9dWwtCLYA
— Sky Li (@skyli_realme) May 28, 2024
Realme’s stand on AI
Speaking about synthetic intelligence (or quick AI), Realme believes AI is the way forward for smartphones and goals to popularise it by integrating it into their gadgets.
“AI is certainly a transformative pressure within the smartphone {industry}, and we firmly imagine that AI is poised to be the first driver of smartphone innovation within the years to return,” Li added.
When requested in regards to the present AI integrations, Li stated, “Our technique for AI integration is two-pronged. On one facet, we utilise collaborations with main chipset producers like Qualcomm and MediaTek to spice up efficiency and effectivity by their refined AI capabilities. Concurrently, we associate with Sony for his or her sensor know-how, which, when mixed with AI, permits us to supply unparalleled images experiences. This consists of AI scene recognition, AI beautification, and AI portrait mode, amongst others.”
AI is the way forward for smartphones and Realme goals to popularise it by integrating it into their gadgets
New 13 Professional collection
Realme’s quantity collection has all the time tried to supply one thing new within the phase. Be it Realme 5 Professional in 2019 that launched a quad-camera setup, a primary within the phase. Equally, Realme 8 Professional supplied the primary 108-megapixel digital camera setup within the phase in 2021. Final yr, Realme 11 Professional+ was the primary smartphone to supply a 200-megapixel digital camera, whereas earlier this yr, Realme 12 Professional+ supplied the primary periscope lens within the phase. This time round, there are extra issues at play for the all-new 13 Professional collection.
Speaking in regards to the all-new 13 Professional collection, Li careworn that the Realme 13 Professional collection, with its options set like twin Sony foremost digital camera system, which incorporates the industry-first Sony LYT-701 alongside claimed AI images structure, Hyperimage+ digital camera system. Li additionally talked about one other spotlight of the product, the design of the Realme 13 Professional+, which takes inspiration from Monet’s depictions of nature and wonder.
Realme’s strategy for flagship smartphones
Realme’s technique for its flagship smartphone vary has been barely completely different from that of the opposite manufacturers, the place we now have seen unique tie-ups. Speaking about Realme’s flagship collection, Li stated it’s pushed by the model’s aspiration, which is younger customers. “Our technique is constructed on three core pillars: popularising giant reminiscence, upgrading high quality, and implementing our AI+UI popularizer technique,” he stated.
Sooner or later, Realme will standardise some options for the Quantity Professional collection, resembling 512GB storage and IP65 water and dirt resistance.
When requested to elaborate on AI+UI technique, Li defined, “Our AI+UI Popularizer Technique goals to future-proof our telephones. Realme was among the many first manufacturers to combine AI into our merchandise by our Subsequent AI Lab. We have been incorporating AI throughout three main innovation areas: AI imaging, AI effectivity, and AI personalization.”
“We’re actively collaborating with {industry} leaders on platforms, algorithms, and software program to increase Subsequent AI advantages to younger customers worldwide. We’re assured that as Subsequent AI know-how matures and extra companions be part of us, realme will ship next-generation AI experiences to no less than 100 million customers throughout the subsequent three years,” Li added.
Realme’s development in India
India has been an important marketplace for Realme, and figures corroborate this. Lately, a Canalys report claimed Realme was the fourth greatest smartphone vendor in Q2 2024. We requested Li how the model plans to hold on this momentum additional. “We’ve got strategic plans in place to additional improve and develop our market share. This yr, our focus is on turning into a tech model that higher understands younger customers and exceeds their expectations with each product that we convey out for them,” he added.
Li additionally talked about how the Indian market has been instrumental in shaping Realme’s development trajectory, and it continues to be a big contributor to the corporate’s gross sales and revenues. Placing down some numbers, Li stated that Realme’s offline gross sales reached a complete of 8 million in 2023, demonstrating the energy of our retail channel presence.
“In 2023, realme made its means into the highest 5 manufacturers in India with 17.4 million gross sales. Furthermore, inside simply 5 years of our inception, we crossed a milestone of 100 million shipments in India,” Li added.
Unique partnerships for design
Realme has been doing partnerships to design its gadget – one thing we do not see within the competitors. The newest telephone’s frosted glass materials, made with a singular flash gold methodology, reproduces Monet’s brushstrokes utilizing hundreds of thousands of shimmering particles. When requested in regards to the newest partnership with the Museum of Fantastic Arts, Boston (MFA) to design the Realme 13 Professional collection.
“The Museum of Fantastic Arts is a worldwide pioneer in artwork curation and exhibition, with a set spanning six continents and eight millennia of artistic achievement. The Realme 13 Professional Collection 5G takes affect from Claude Monet’s traditional “Grainstack” and “Water Lilies” collection,” Li stated.
“Realme 13 Professional 5G and Realme 13 Professional+ 5G have a Monet-inspired design. We utilized superior crafting methods to convey Monet’s inventive imaginative and prescient to life in these gadgets. The Miracle Shining Glass, which accommodates hundreds of thousands of shimmering particles, recreates the flowing results of sunshine and shadow present in Monet’s works,” he added.