Oppo unveils Reno 13 series with underwater photo capabilities [VIDEO]

With the Mobile World Congress (MWC) just a few days away, Oppo unveiled its new Reno 13 series, which is packed with artificial intelligence (AI) features.

MWC will likely showcase more AI wonders that have pushed smartphone capabilities to the next level.

The new phones were unveiled in a garden party ambience in Randburg on Wednesday,

Competition

Oppo is competing in a market flooded with devices featuring AI, from entry-level smartphones to flagship devices.

Liam Fourie, general manager at Oppo South Africa, told The Citizen that the company is in tough competition with other brands.

“Oppo has really carved out quite a nice slice of the pie already, and we’ve seen our market share is stable, growing a little bit year by year, and we expected that to continue as we get retained Oppo users.”

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Marketshare

Fourie said there are currently 1.2 million Oppo users in South Africa.

According to data from Statcounter Global Stats, Samsung sales take up just more than 50% of the mobile market. Apple is in second with a 15.88% marketshare, with Huawei in a close third with 14.35% of the market.

Xiaomi is in a distant fourth place, with 3.69% of the market share, followed closely by Oppo’s 3.51%.

AI

Several mobile brands, including Samsung, Huawei, Honor, Vivo, and Apple, have already launched their devices worldwide and in South Africa.

A notable feature among these devices are the AI capabilities they offer including removing photo bombers, stitching photos together and enhancing photos to make people smile or open their eyes if the picture did not come out perfect, among other AI features.

Oppo has introduced its own AI features powered by the ColorOS operating system.

Featuring a customised MediaTek Dimensity 8350 platform, the Reno13 5G has a 5,600mAh battery and 80W SUPERVOOC Flash Charge, allowing for extended usage and rapid recharging.

Water and dust

All Reno13 models feature an IP66 / IP68 / IP69 rating for water and dust resistance, providing exceptional protection against moisture and particulates. These phones can withstand splashes of water up to 80°C and can be submerged in water up to 2 metres for 30 minutes

The 1.5K 120Hz OLED display allows a vibrant and fluid viewing experience, while Adaptive Frame Booster technology enhances high-frame-rate gaming for seamless responsiveness.

Underwater photography

One AI feature that stands out from other mobile brands AI offering, is the “Underwater Photography Mode”. This is particularly useful if you are a scuba diver or underwater cave explorer, among other water-related activities.

It basically allows you to take photos while underwater, offering independent colour tuning for distortion-free, lifelike shots and physical button control for intuitive underwater usage.

The Reno 13 Series has an “Underwater Photography Mode”. You can take photos under water. . #OPPOReno13 #StepintoAI #MakeYourMoment @OPPOSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/BhVxXk8KKE

— 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚕 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕 ⚡️ (@FaizelPatel143) February 26, 2025

Other notable AI features include an upgraded AI Editor that takes every shot to the next level with intelligent enhancements.

AI Clarity Enhancer sharpens distant objects, while AI Unblur restores clarity to blurry images,

Meanwhile, the AI Reflection Remover eliminates unwanted glass reflections, making it easy to capture clear shots through windows.

The Oppo Reno 13 can also share photos across Android and iOS devices with a new share button.

Breaking the boundaries on Android and iOS . #OPPOReno13 #StepintoAI #MakeYourMoment @OPPOSouthAfrica @TheCitizen_News pic.twitter.com/TUGM93NrLO

— 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚕 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕 ⚡️ (@FaizelPatel143) February 26, 2025

Availability and pricing

The Oppo Reno13 5G is available in South Africa, with pricing starting at R18 999. The Reno13 F is set for release in March and will sell for R14 999.

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