2024 has been an action-packed year for Realme with multiple product launches so far. The 13 Pro series is the latest addition to the company’s numbered flagship portfolio. The launch saw multiple firsts from the Realme brand including the world’s first TUV Rheinland high-resolution camera certification and an exclusive partnership with Sony for the LYT-701 OIS camera. And we thought who better to talk about all this than the CEO. In an exclusive interview with Gadgets 360, Sky Li, founder and CEO of Realme, spoke about the launch of the latest 13 Pro series, plans for 2024, why AI is the future of smartphones, and much more.
Realme’s plans for India beyond 2024
Let’s start by talking about the brand’s plans for this year. Realme’s smartphone portfolio includes the GT series for high-performance users and the Number series, which focuses on imaging and design, while the C series targets the mass market with basic features.
“2024 was an important year for Realme, especially in India. The expansion of our portfolio in India is in line with our global approach of focusing on younger users and embodies our ethos of ‘Make it Real’. We are focused on delivering unique consumer experiences and meeting the dynamic needs of the younger generation,” Li told Gadgets 360.
When asked about its goals for the year, Lee confirmed that the brand is looking to increase sales in India by 10 percent this year. Lee said that over the next five years, Realme plans to enter 100 new markets around the world, “underlining our unwavering commitment to sustained growth and international presence.”
Realme aims to sell 10 million smartphones in 2024, of which 7-8 million will be 5G-enabled and sold through offline channels.
On research and development, Li claimed that Realme plans to significantly increase spending on this. “We also plan to significantly increase our research and development expenditure by 470%, demonstrating our focus on strengthening our technological capabilities. Our strategic focus revolves around pioneering breakthroughs in key technology areas such as imaging, performance, display and charging,” he added.
This has been a year of strategic expansion and innovation for Realme in India and we are looking to continue this momentum in the coming years.
Dear realme fans, stay tuned for more exciting news tomorrow! #RealMe https://t.co/I9dWwtCLYA
— Sky Li (@skyli_realme) May 28, 2024
Realme’s stance on AI
Speaking of artificial intelligence (AI for short), Realme believes that AI is the future of smartphones and aims to popularize it by integrating it into its devices.
“AI is indeed a transformative force in the smartphone industry and we believe AI will be the main driver of smartphone innovation in the coming years,” Lee added.
When asked about current AI integration, Li replied, “Our AI integration strategy is two-pronged. First, we work with leading chipset manufacturers such as Qualcomm and MediaTek to improve performance and efficiency through their advanced AI capabilities. At the same time, we partner with Sony to leverage their sensor technology and combine it with AI to provide an unparalleled photography experience. This includes AI scene recognition, AI beautification, AI portrait mode, etc.”
AI is the future of smartphones and Realme aims to popularize it by integrating it into its devices.
New 13 Pro Series
Realme’s number series have always tried to offer something new in this field, as was the case with the Realme 5 Pro, which was the first to introduce a quad camera in this field in 2019. Similarly, the Realme 8 Pro was the first to offer a 108MP camera in this field in 2021. Last year, the Realme 11 Pro+ became the first smartphone to offer a 200MP camera, and earlier this year the Realme 12 Pro+ was the first to offer a periscope lens in this field. Now, the all-new 13 Pro series has more to offer.
Speaking about the all-new 13 Pro series, Li emphasized that the Realme 13 Pro series is equipped with features such as a dual Sony main camera system, including the industry-first Sony LYT-701, and the Hyperimage+ camera system, an AI photography architecture. Li also spoke about another highlight of the product: the design of the Realme 13 Pro+, which was inspired by Monet’s depictions of nature and beauty.
The Realme 13 Pro+ sports a 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Realme’s approach to flagship smartphones
Realme’s flagship smartphone strategy is a bit different from other brands with which it has had exclusive partnerships. Regarding Realme’s flagship series, Li said it is driven by the brand’s desire to target younger users. “Our strategy is based on three pillars: popularizing large memory capacity, improving quality, and implementing an AI+UI popularization strategy,” he said.
In the future, Realme plans to standardize some features on the Number Pro series, such as 512GB storage and IP65 water and dust resistance.
When asked to elaborate on the AI+UI strategy, Li explained: “Our AI+UI pervasive strategy aims to future-proof our phones. Realme is one of the first brands to integrate AI into our products through Next AI Lab. We have incorporated AI into three key innovation areas: AI imaging, AI efficiency, and AI personalization.”
“We are actively collaborating with industry leaders on platforms, algorithms and software to spread the benefits of next-generation AI to younger users around the world. As next-generation AI technologies mature and more partners join, we are confident that realme will be able to bring next-generation AI experiences to at least 100 million users within the next three years,” Li added.
Realme’s growth in India
India is a key market for Realme, and the numbers back it up. Recently, a Canalys report said that Realme was the fourth-largest smartphone vendor in Q2 2024. We asked Li about the company’s plans to continue this momentum. “We have strategic plans to further grow and expand our market share. This year, our focus is on becoming a technology brand that understands young users better and exceeds their expectations with every product we offer for them,” he added.
Lee also spoke about how the Indian market has played a key role in shaping Realme’s growth trajectory and continues to contribute significantly to the company’s sales and revenue. Citing some figures, Lee said Realme’s offline sales will reach a total of 8 million in 2023, demonstrating the strength of the company’s retail channel presence.
“In 2023, realme ranked among the top five brands in India with sales of 17.4 million units. Moreover, just five years after its inception, the company achieved the milestone of 100 million units shipped in India,” Lee added.
Exclusive Design Partnership
Realme is committed to partnering with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) to design devices not seen in competitors. The frosted glass material on its latest smartphones is made with a proprietary Flash Gold technique, recreating Monet’s brushstrokes using millions of shimmering particles. When asked about its latest partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) in the design of the Realme 13 Pro series,
“The Museum of Art is a global pioneer in art curation and exhibition, housing eight millennia of creative achievements across six continents. The realme 13 Pro Series 5G is inspired by Claude Monet’s classic ‘Stacked Grain’ and ‘Water Lilies’ series,” Li said.
“The realme 13 Pro 5G and Realme 13 Pro+ 5G are designed with Monet in mind. These devices leverage advanced crafting techniques to bring Monet’s artistic vision to life. The Miracle Shining Glass, which contains millions of shimmering particles, recreates the flowing effects of light and shadow seen in Monet’s works,” he added.
