Chinese smartphone maker OPPO has unveiled a comprehensive initiative, named Apex Guard, designed to establish a new industry benchmark for device longevity through advancements in hardware, software, and after-sales support.
The Apex Guard plan, launched from OPPO’s Binhai Bay Campus in Dongguan, China, encompasses hardware innovations to ensure multi-year device use, software optimized for rapid and fluid response, and enhanced post-sale services to boost user confidence. The campus serves as the company’s headquarters and global research hub, housing numerous advanced laboratories.
Hardware developments include the use of new materials such as Ultra-High-Strength Steel and aerospace-grade AM04 aluminum alloy. These materials, along with new structural designs like Armour Shield, are intended to significantly increase smartphone durability against daily impacts and scratches.
OPPO also introduced a Silicon-Carbon battery technology, which incorporates specially optimized spherical silicon-carbon material. This innovation aims to provide an additional 400 full charging cycles without compromising the battery’s overall capacity.
Grus Shan, OPPO’s Director of Manufacturing, affirmed the company’s commitment to robust quality. “Quality is the foundation of everything,” Shan stated, adding that continuous development ensures “smartphones can be used freely and safely throughout their lifespan.”
To validate its quality assertions, OPPO collaborates with renowned independent testing organizations like TÜV Rheinland, TÜV SÜD, and SGS. These partnerships involve over 180 product tests, spanning from pre-research and development stages through to the completion of manufacturing.
On the software front, the company is rolling out ColorOS 16, its latest operating system. This version features what OPPO describes as the first Unified Animation Architecture for Android.
Furthermore, OPPO conducts extensive device degradation testing, simulating usage over periods of 48, 60, and 72 months—equivalent to two, five, and six years, respectively. These rigorous simulations aim to confirm that all new developments achieve their intended long-term performance objectives.