Realme 13 Pro Series: A Conversation with Sky Li, Founder and CEO of Realme, on AI Adoption and More
The year 2024 has been a busy time for Realme, with numerous releases so far. The latest addition to the company’s flagship lineup is the 13 Pro series. This launch marked several firsts for Realme, including achieving the world’s first TUV Rheinland High-Resolution Camera Certification and forming an exclusive partnership with Sony for the LYT-701 OIS Camera. Who better than the CEO, Sky Li, to discuss all these developments? In an exclusive interview with Gadgets 360, Sky Li delved into the latest 13 Pro series launch, plans for 2024, the future of AI in smartphones, and much more.
Realme’s strategy for 2024 in India and beyond focuses on catering to different user needs with various smartphone series, such as the GT series for high performance, the Number series for imaging and design, and the C-series for the mass market. Sky Li emphasized the brand’s commitment to offering unique consumer experiences and catering to the dynamic requirements of the youthful demographic.
Looking ahead, Realme aims to boost sales by 10 percent in India this year and expand into 100 new markets globally over the next five years. The company targets selling 10 million smartphones in 2024, with a significant portion being 5G-enabled devices sold through offline channels. Realme also plans to ramp up R&D spending to enhance technological capabilities and drive innovation in key areas like imaging, performance, display, and charging.
Realme’s vision for flagship smartphones revolves around appealing to young users by focusing on features like large memory, quality upgrades, and implementing an AI+UI popularizer strategy. The brand aims to standardize certain features for the Number Pro series in the future, such as 512GB storage and IP65 water and dust resistance. Realme’s AI+UI Popularizer Strategy aims to incorporate AI across different innovation areas, collaborating with industry leaders to deliver next-generation AI experiences to millions of users globally.
Realme’s growth in India has been significant, with the brand becoming the fourth largest smartphone vendor in Q2 2024 according to a Canalys report. The company plans to build on this momentum by understanding and exceeding the expectations of young users with every product release. Realme’s offline sales in 2023 reached 8 million units, showcasing the strength of their retail channel presence. The Indian market has played a pivotal role in Realme’s growth trajectory, contributing significantly to sales and revenues.
Realme’s unique approach to design partnerships sets it apart from the competition. The latest Realme 13 Pro series features a frosted glass material crafted using a flash gold method, inspired by Monet’s brushstrokes. A recent collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, influenced the design of the Realme 13 Pro series, drawing inspiration from Claude Monet’s iconic artworks. The devices showcase Monet’s artistic vision through advanced crafting techniques, creating a stunning visual experience.