Just this week, OPPO, the global smart device company, showcased multiple new conceptual designs based on its human-centric design philosophy at the 4th China International Industrial Design Expo (CIIDE), a national event focused on industrial design. These concepts were created for OPPO by leading Japanese studio nendo, founded by Oki Sato, the two companies collaborating to explore the possibilities of future design.
At this year’s exhibition themed “New Designs, New Trends, New Momentum,” OPPO and nendo unveiled two conceptual designs. The first, the “slide-phone” concept, jumps off from the insight that smartphone users increasingly rely on their smartphones to interact with the world around them. Completely going against the trend of larger phones, as these, while supporting functionality, are less convenient and more difficult to hold, the “slide-phone” is designed with three foldable screens attached by hinges folding over in the same direction.
By providing users with the flexibility to change the form of the phone as needed, users may benefit from the ability to change its size to suit the occasion. Furthermore, a stylus inserted in phone allows users to expand their productivity by using the phone for work or other more complex tasks.
The “slide-phone” conceptual design can be folded into different states
The conceptual design“slide-phone” can be folded to just the size of a credit card
OPPO and nendo’s other conceptual design, “music-link”, is a collection of devices centered around a pair of TWS earphones that includes a smartwatch, an AI speaker, a portable charger and a wireless charger. All devices are designed in a sleek organic form, adopting an affinity design that mirrors the aesthetic values of users today. When the TWS earphones and portable charging case are placed on the AI speaker, users can enjoy a seamless music experience transitioning from headphones to speaker. This symbiotic design between devices, and the emphasis on portability and convenience, reflects OPPO’s integration of technology and human-centricity in its design philosophy.
The “music-link” conceptual design
