Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories?
No, thank you Accept
X
Apple WWDC: What We ExpectBest Mattress DealsAssessing Viral Sleep HacksNetflix Password SharingMeal Subscription vs. TakeoutBest Solar CompaniesVerizon 5G Home InternetBest Credit Cards
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

Oppo unveils 5G phone, 48-megapixel camera phone with 10x lossless zoom

The 5G phone will use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 processor.

jessica-dolcourt-6462
jessica-dolcourt-6462
Jessica Dolcourt Editorial Director, Content Operations
Jessica Dolcourt's career with CNET began in 2006, and spans reviews, reporting, analysis and commentary for desktop software; mobile software, including the very first Android and iPhone apps and operating systems; and mobile hardware, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of practical advice on expansive topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Expertise Team leadership, audience engagement, iPhone, Android, iOS, tips and FAQs.
See full bio
Jessica Dolcourt
2 min read
oppo-5g-phone

The prototype for Oppo's first 5G phone, launching in the first half of 2019.

 Juan Garzon / CNET
Advertiser Disclosure
Advertiser Disclosure
This advertising widget is powered by Navi and contains advertisements that Navi may be paid for in different ways. You will not be charged for engaging with this advertisement. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, this advertising widget does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. We make reasonable efforts to ensure that information in the featured advertisements is up to date, each advertiser featured in this widget is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its offer details. It is possible that your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms in this advertising widget and the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser which will be presented to you prior to making a purchase. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you.

Oppo has officially become the next Android brand to announce a 5G phone for 2019. At an MWC 2019 press conference, Oppo said its first 5G device will use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 chipset and X50 modem to latch onto 5G networks. Four carrier networks -- Swisscom, Australia's  Telstra  and  Optus , and Singtel in Singapore -- will sell the unnamed 5G Oppo phone first, launching in Q2 2019, a quarter that spans April through June. It'll come to China Mobile this summer.

The phone-maker announced last December that it had built a 5G prototype phone based on the Oppo Find X .

More from MWC 2019

5G is widely seen as a turning point in the mobile phone industry. The next-generation network technology promises to make phones between 10 and 100 times faster than 4G speeds, and to connect to the internet in 1 millisecond. Carrier and phone makers are scrambling to ready their devices, hoping that being a first-mover will give their brand the advantage.

Oppo also took the opportunity to announce another unnamed device for later in 2019, which will use three cameras (wide, ultrawide and telephoto lenses) to take photos with 10x lossless zoom. That means your photos will retain much more detail and crispness even when you zoom in at extreme levels. Lossless photography is most prized when you're taking shots from afar, say of a deer in the woods, a statue on top of a domed building or a performer on stage.

The future Oppo phone will have three cameras -- wide, ultrawide angle and telephoto lenses, to reach a total range of 16-160 mm. It'll also use a 6.76 mm-thick camera module, which makes room for a larger sensor that can let in more light and improve overall image quality.

Oppo Find X is the sexiest phone of 2018

1783oppo-find-x-edited
1783oppo-find-x-edited
oppo-x-5948
+27 more
See all photos

Oppo may not be as well known in the US, but its sister company, OnePlus , is. Its portfolio includes high-end devices with features that frequently show up on OnePlus phones. Oppo's Find X from 2018 grabbed headlines for its unusual camera design, which mechanically rises from the phone body to allow for an all-screen design without the need for a notch. Deep, rich colors with eye-catching gradients are another recent Oppo hallmark. The brand operates in over 40 global markets and has designs on breaking into the US.

oppo-5g-phone-mwc-2019-announcement-cropped

At MWC 2019, Oppo announced plans to launch its first 5G phone.

 Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Published Feb 3 at 6:01 a.m. PT
Update: 7:23 a.m. PT with details about the 5G phone's China Mobile launch.

Update: Feb. 24, 5:33 a.m. PT with new headline.