How OPPO’s F1 series gave us the ultimate selfie experience

Why do people love taking selfies?

The invention of the compact camera in 20th century gave people a portable and fairly cost-effective way to capture and preserve memorable parts of their lives. With the meteoric rise of the smartphone and current ubiquity of social networking, people now have more ways to highlight and share these unforgettable moments.

The relative ease of documenting oneself has led to the rise of the selfie on social media, and it doesn't look like the phenomenon will simmer down any time soon.

‘The perfect selfie’

Cameras have come to be a notable consideration for most people's smartphone purchases. After all, you do need the perfect camera phone for the perfect selfie.

A number of things go into perfect selfie: resolution, light, processing, and even a bit of personal context behind the person taking the photo. The best selfies need to have a perfect balance of well-designed software, and the hardware needed to run it on.

“When choosing their smartphones, people look for attractive design, powerful hardware, long battery life, and of course, cameras that take beautiful photos anytime wherever you are,” said OPPO Philippines Brand Marketing Manager Stephen Cheng.

“These are the qualities we had in mind when we developed the F1 series,” he added.

Selfies anytime, anywhere

Last February, OPPO introduced the first in the F1 series. Dubbed the “selfie expert,” the F1’s 8-megapixel front camera has an 84-degree-wide angle camera lens with an f/2.0 aperture, and a ¼-inch sensor that allows 40 percent more light to enter.

With the F1, users can say hello to brighter skin and bid blemishes goodbye. Thanks to the phone’s Beautify 3.0+ image processing, users can touch photos up on the fly. The F1, while itself considerably solid, only gets better.

The F1 Plus was launched in April, bringing the F1’s selfie capability to the next level. The F1 Plus’ 16-megapixel front camera captures clear, vivid photos even in low-light situations, making it ideal for night photography. This upmarket model runs Beautify 4.0, which improves on OPPO's highly-regarded imaging software.

It also features a front-facing Screen Flash and a fun Selfie Panorama feature which makes it easier to take group photos.

Innovating with smartphones

On top of outstanding selfie specs, beautiful design is a hallmark of OPPO’s phones. The F1’s back cover, for example, has a velvet-like smoothness to its machined metal frame.

Ultra-thin 1.66-mm bezels make the F1 plus look like a smaller 5.2-inch phone though it has a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 4th Generation Gorilla Glass.

With a non-slippery metal surface that gives users a comfortable grip, the F1 plus is a light, thin device with great hand feel.

The F1 plus is also the first phone to feature the all-new Color OS 3.0 which gives it a friendly, warm and approachable interface with increased speed and efficiency.

Battery life and charging time are other advantages of the F1 plus, making it ideal for people on the go. The phone's VOCC Flash Charge feature allows it to reach 75 percent capacity after only 30 minutes of charging. The phone’s battery can also last up to 14 hours and five minutes of constant use.

According to Cheng, OPPO will continue developing smartphones that give users the best possible experience.

“Through our commitment to innovation, we will keep giving users the best possible tools that let them capture, share, and store priceless moments. This year, OPPO will be releasing a new smartphone under the F1 series that’s sure to offer the best selfie experience yet,” he said.