At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 in Barcelona, the global technology industry witnessed a significant step forward in the evolution of AI-powered smartphones. OPPO and MediaTek jointly unveiled a series of breakthroughs in on-device artificial intelligence, demonstrating how deep integration between AI chipsets and smartphone software can transform everyday mobile experiences.

During MediaTek’s “AI for Life” keynote, Jason Liao, President of the OPPO Research Institute, presented the collaborative roadmap that both companies are pursuing to accelerate the deployment of powerful AI features directly on smartphones. This strategic partnership focuses on delivering real-time AI processing, improved privacy protection, lower latency, and personalized intelligent experiences.

By combining MediaTek’s flagship Dimensity chipset architecture with OPPO’s proprietary AI algorithms and software optimization, the companies are enabling smartphones to run advanced AI models locally on the device, eliminating dependence on cloud computing while significantly improving responsiveness.

This milestone announcement reinforces the growing importance of on-device computing, a trend expected to define the next generation of AI smartphones and mobile ecosystems.

From Chipset to Experience: The Future of On-Device AI

OPPO’s AI Strategy: New Computing, New Perception, New Ecosystem

At the center of OPPO’s innovation roadmap lies a comprehensive AI framework built around three pillars:

• New Computing
• New Perception
• New Ecosystem

This strategy is designed to integrate artificial intelligence deeply into the smartphone architecture, allowing devices to analyze environments, understand user behavior, and deliver highly contextual experiences.

The cornerstone of this approach is On-Device Compute, a technology that enables AI models to run locally on the smartphone rather than relying on cloud servers. Running AI models on the device provides several critical advantages:

• Ultra-low latency processing
• Enhanced privacy protection
• Offline AI functionality
• Personalized learning based on user behavior

With on-device AI processing, smartphones can deliver instant responses and intelligent automation without sending sensitive user data to external servers.

The collaboration between OPPO and MediaTek accelerates the adoption of this technology through tightly integrated hardware-software optimization.

MediaTek Dimensity 9500: Powering the Next Generation of AI Phones

The foundation of these AI capabilities lies in the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 platform, one of the most advanced AI-optimized mobile chipsets showcased at MWC 2026.

The Dimensity 9500 integrates several advanced processing engines designed specifically for AI-driven workloads, including:

• Next-generation AI Processing Unit (APU)
• Advanced GPU acceleration
• Dedicated machine learning accelerators
• High-bandwidth memory architecture

This powerful architecture enables smartphones to process complex AI models in real time, allowing for features that were previously only possible through cloud-based computing.

By leveraging the Dimensity 9500, OPPO is able to deploy high-performance AI tools such as AI Translate and AI Portrait Glow, delivering results comparable to cloud-based AI systems while maintaining the advantages of local processing.

On-Device AI Translate: Real-Time Multilingual Communication

One of the most practical demonstrations at MWC 2026 was OPPO’s On-Device AI Translate, an advanced language translation system capable of running entirely on the smartphone.

This technology introduces several improvements over traditional translation methods.

Key Capabilities of On-Device AI Translate

• Runs completely offline
• Improved translation accuracy
• Real-time multilingual processing
• Stable performance in weak network environments

According to OPPO’s internal testing, the new translation system achieves approximately 15% higher accuracy compared to conventional translation techniques.

The ability to process translation locally on the device allows the system to maintain consistent performance even without internet connectivity, making it ideal for travelers, international business communication, and real-time conversation translation.

In environments with limited connectivity or unstable signals, the technology still delivers reliable and instant translations, significantly enhancing usability in real-world situations.

AI Portrait Glow: Transforming Smartphone Photography

Another highlight showcased during the keynote was AI Portrait Glow, a next-generation computational photography feature designed to improve portrait photography in difficult lighting conditions.

Modern smartphone cameras already rely heavily on AI-powered image processing, but OPPO’s new solution introduces advanced on-device scene analysis and lighting reconstruction.

How AI Portrait Glow Works

The system uses deep learning algorithms to:

• Analyze lighting conditions in real time
• Reconstruct natural illumination
• Enhance facial features without overprocessing
• Improve clarity in dim or backlit environments

By intelligently adjusting exposure, color tone, and light balance, the AI engine produces natural-looking portraits even in challenging scenarios, including:

• Low-light environments
• Backlit scenes
• Indoor artificial lighting conditions

The entire processing pipeline runs locally on the smartphone, ensuring instant results and privacy protection while delivering professional-quality portraits.

Omni Model: The World’s First On-Device Full-Modal AI Model

Perhaps the most groundbreaking announcement at MWC 2026 was the introduction of Omni, the industry’s first on-device full-modal AI model designed for smartphones.

Unlike traditional AI models that process only one type of data, the Omni Model supports multi-modal inputs, enabling smartphones to understand and interact with multiple types of information simultaneously.

Supported Input Modalities

• Voice
• Video
• Text
• Visual scene recognition

This allows smartphones to interpret complex real-world environments and provide interactive responses based on multiple data sources.

For example, the Omni model can enable smartphones to:

• Understand objects and scenes captured by the camera
• Process spoken questions in real time
• Analyze video content
• Provide intelligent contextual responses

This advancement represents a major step toward true human-computer interaction, where smartphones can observe, understand, and respond to the physical world around them.

Find X9 Pro Demonstration: AI Meets Advanced Imaging

At the MediaTek booth experience zone, visitors had the opportunity to test the OPPO Find X9 Pro, a flagship smartphone demonstrating the full power of the new AI capabilities.

The device showcased on-device AI processing combined with advanced imaging technology, including the OPPO Hasselblad Teleconverter system.

This powerful camera system allows the device to deliver:

• High-resolution telephoto photography
• Improved optical zoom performance
• AI-enhanced image processing

By combining hardware optics with AI-driven software optimization, the Find X9 Pro demonstrates how AI can elevate smartphone photography beyond traditional computational methods.

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Reno15 Pro AI Imaging Tools

In addition to the flagship Find series, OPPO also showcased its Reno15 Pro, highlighting a range of creative AI photography tools designed for content creators and social media enthusiasts.

These AI features include:

AI Motion Photo Eraser

Removes unwanted moving objects from photos automatically.

AI Motion Photo Popout

Creates dynamic visual effects by isolating subjects from the background.

AI Flash Photography

Enhances lighting conditions to produce bright and natural photos even in dark environments.

These innovations highlight OPPO’s focus on delivering accessible AI tools for everyday users, enabling professional-level editing directly on smartphones.

Android Quick Share: Cross-Platform File Sharing

Another major announcement at MWC 2026 was the upcoming support for Android Quick Share, a feature designed to enable seamless file transfers across multiple operating systems.

Developed in collaboration with MediaTek and Google, this technology allows users to transfer files directly between OPPO smartphones and Apple devices, including:

• iOS devices
• iPadOS tablets
• macOS computers

Unlike traditional cross-platform sharing methods that require third-party applications, Quick Share enables secure file transfers without installing additional software.

The feature will begin rolling out to OPPO Find X9 Series devices through a software update starting in March, significantly improving cross-ecosystem connectivity.

Industry Recognition: GLOMO Awards Nomination

The OPPO Find X9 Pro also received industry recognition at MWC 2026 after being shortlisted for the prestigious “Best Smartphone” category at the GLOMO Awards.

The nomination reflects the device’s strong innovation across several key areas:

• AI integration
• Camera technology
• Performance optimization
• User experience design

Recognition at the Global Mobile Awards reinforces OPPO’s growing influence in shaping the future of AI-powered mobile technology.

The Future of AI Smartphones

The partnership between OPPO and MediaTek signals a major shift in how artificial intelligence will evolve within the smartphone industry.

Instead of relying heavily on cloud computing, the future lies in powerful AI models running directly on mobile devices, enabling:

• Faster response times
• Enhanced privacy protection
• Greater reliability in offline environments
• Personalized AI experiences

With the continued development of on-device AI models, advanced chipsets, and intelligent mobile ecosystems, smartphones are rapidly evolving into context-aware digital companions capable of understanding and interacting with the real world.

The innovations unveiled at MWC 2026 represent only the beginning of this transformation.

As OPPO and MediaTek deepen their collaboration, the next generation of smartphones will likely redefine how users interact with technology, bringing AI-powered intelligence directly into everyday life.