Chinese phone maker Oppo declined to comment on Sisters Slaveprevious reports suggesting that it might restart its independent chip development business and has begun recalling former employees to return, according to a Sept. 19 report by Chinese news outlet CLS. In May of this year, Oppo unexpectedly dissolved its chip developing unit Zeku, citing uncertainties in the global economy and the smartphone market. Since Zeku’s establishment in 2019, Oppo has introduced two chip products, namely MariSilicon X and MariSilicon Y. Industry insider Chen Gen told CLS that Oppo’s return to chip development is a possibility, but it comes with challenges. “Performance stability, yield rate, and cost are three key factors that enterprises planning to develop their own chips must consider,” he added. [CLS, in Chinese]
