BBK Electronics

{{Infobox company

| name = BBK Electronics Corporation

| logo = BBK Electronics.svg

| native_name = 广东步步高电子工业有限公司

| romanized_name = Guangdong Bubugao Electronics Industry Co., Ltd.

| type = Private{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/BBKFEZ:CH-bbk-electronics-corp-ltd|publisher=Bloomberg|title=Profile|access-date=29 October 2014|archive-date=21 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921190919/https://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/BBKFEZ:CH-bbk-electronics-corp-ltd|url-status=live}}

| founded = {{start date and age|df=yes|1995|9|18}}

| founder = Duan Yongping

| defunct = {{end date and age|df=yes|2023|04|07}}

| fate = Split and deregistered

| successors = Oppo
Vivo

| industry = Consumer electronics

| products = Smartphones
Smart TVs
Hi-Fi
Home theatre
Audiovisual

| location = Futian District, Shenzhen, China

| area_served = Worldwide

| brands = Oppo
Vivo
iQOO
OnePlus
Realme

}}

{{infobox Chinese

| s = 广东步步高电子工业有限公司

| t = 廣東步步高電子工業有限公司

| p = Guǎngdōng Bù Bù Gāo Diànzǐ Gōngyè Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī

| order = st

| l = Guangdong Bu Bu Gao Electronics Industrial Corporation Ltd.{{efn|Bu Bu Gao ({{lang|zh|步步高}}) is a Chinese phrase that means "rising step by step", or "reaching a higher level with each step".}}

}}

BBK Electronics was a Chinese multinational electronics conglomerate. It was a leading consumer electronics brand specialized in audio and video equipment, home entertainment products and home appliances. It also acted as an investor in leading companies in various sectors of consumer electronics. The company specialized in developing consumer electronics products such as smartphones, tablet computers, smartwatches, smart TVs, Hi-Fi equipment, Blu-ray players, and digital cameras.

BBK Electronics Corp has restructured its major brands—Oppo, OnePlus, and Realme—into independent entities to safeguard against potential regulatory scrutiny on Chinese companies. This move aims to clarify revenue accountability and strengthen operational independence amidst rising geopolitical tensions. The company was deregistered on 7 April 2023.{{Cite web |title=会员登录 - 企查查 |url=https://www.qcc.com/weblogin?back=%2Ffirm%2Fa8fefe01ffd129a34cbef5ce274514b0.html |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=www.qcc.com}}{{Dead link | date = January 2025 | fix-attempted = yes}}{{Cite web |title= OnePlus, Realme, will split as parent company BBK Electronics|date=6 June 2023 |url=https://www.businessoutreach.in/bbk-electronics-corp-seeks/ }}

History

Guangdong BBK Electronics Corporation limited was established on 18 September 1995, in Dongguan, Guangdong, China, By Duan Yongping.{{cite web |title=爱企查 |url=https://aiqicha.baidu.com/detail/compinfo?pid=xlTM-TogKuTwtjGyUD2-EAsjXOfp6TahVQmd&rq=ef&pd=ee&from=ps |website=aiqicha.baidu.com |publisher=Baidu Aiqicha |access-date=28 October 2022}} Due to the conflict between Duan and the boss of Subor, Duan Yongping decided to leave Subor and create another company, making a commitment to not engage in student computer-related products within one year. In 1996, BBK released their first product line - the corded telephone. After the promised one year, BBK released their first student computer product "BBG Student Computer (Floppy No.1)"(BBG is the original English name of BBK). Once the product was release, it achieved great success, making BBK one of the three major student computer companies in China (the other two companies are Subor and Yuxing), and finally became the most popular student computer product in China according the investigation made by China National Radio in July 1997. Meanwhile, Duan divided BBK into three – the AV factory (the predecessor of Oppo), the telephone factory (the predecessor of Vivo), and the computer and video game factory (the predecessor of BBK Education Electronics), each operating independently. In order to increase the responsiveness of the three factories, the headquarters has decentralized some marketing and after-sales rights; the three factories regularly reconcile accounts with the headquarters and allocate a certain percentage of their annual profits to cover the operating costs of the headquarters' functional departments. {{Cite web |title=蓝绿两厂的前世今生—— vivo 和 OPPO 之历史溯源 |url=https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/949657924}}

As the group's business continued to improve, Duan Yongping felt that the time was ripe to let go completely. Therefore, at the beginning of 1999, based on the previous situation of the three factories operating independently, the group was further split into three companies with independent equity and personnel. From then on, the computer and video game factory, telephone factory, and AV factory became completely independent companies with their own equity and personnel structures. However, at that time, the three companies could still share about 80% of the original BBK channels, and the brand operation of BBK was still managed by the headquarters.

Oppo's subsidiaries include OnePlus and Realme.{{cite web |date=15 June 2015 |title=The OnePlus 6 is more than just a rebranded OPPO |url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/6/15/17467348/oneplus-6-vs-oppo-r15-pro-vivo-bbk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222233546/https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/6/15/17467348/oneplus-6-vs-oppo-r15-pro-vivo-bbk |archive-date=22 December 2019 |access-date=31 January 2019}}{{cite web |last=Wong |first=Shine |date=2014-04-26 |title=Picture proving Oneplus is wholly-owned sub-brand of OPPO |url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2014/04/26/picture-proving-oneplus-is-wholly-owned-sub-brand-of-oppo/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627073224/https://www.gizmochina.com/2014/04/26/picture-proving-oneplus-is-wholly-owned-sub-brand-of-oppo/ |archive-date=27 June 2020 |access-date=2020-05-06 |website=Gizmochina |language=en-US}} Vivo's subsidiaries include iQOO (a sub-brand of Vivo).{{Cite web|date=2020-01-24|title=Taking on Xiaomi's POCO, BBK Group launches iQOO brand in India|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/taking-xiaomis-poco-bbk-group-launches-iqoo-brand-india-116719|access-date=2021-02-25|website=The News Minute|language=en|archive-date=5 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305201136/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/taking-xiaomis-poco-bbk-group-launches-iqoo-brand-india-116719|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |date=23 January 2020 |title=vivo's sub brand, iQOO set to enter India with 5G smartphone |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/vivos-sub-brand-iqoo-set-to-enter-india-with-5g-smartphone/articleshow/73554040.cms#:~:text=iQOO%20is%20a%20sub%2Dbrand,and%20iQOO%20%2D%2D%20in%20India. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514072922/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/vivos-sub-brand-iqoo-set-to-enter-india-with-5g-smartphone/articleshow/73554040.cms#:~:text=iQOO%20is%20a%20sub%2Dbrand,and%20iQOO%20%2D%2D%20in%20India. |archive-date=14 May 2021}} It also marketed Blu-ray players, headphones, headphone amplifiers and smartwatches under Oppo Digital brand.{{cite web |last1=Colin |first1=David |date=7 July 2005 |title=A Winning Digital DVD Player |url=http://www.projectorcentral.com/oppo_opdv971h_dvd_player.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330170209/https://www.projectorcentral.com/oppo_opdv971h_dvd_player.htm |archive-date=30 March 2019 |access-date=13 January 2016 |website=Projector Central |quote=So who is OPPO? They certainly are not a household name and with good reason as OPPO is a newly created North American branch of BBK Electronics of China, a giant in the manufacture of consumer electronics, employing 12,000 people worldwide. So while OPPO is a new name, the company and the technology behind it are quite substantial.}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/technology/oppo-digital-dv-971h.html|title=Review: OPPO Digital DV-971H (US – DVD)|last1=Beamish|first1=David|website=dvdactive|quote=OPPO Digital are based in Mountain View, CA and are the US arm of BBK Electronics who are a huge Chinese market leader and who have been a private label OEM for companies such as Denon, NEC and BOSE. Manufacturing all sorts of electronics gear, BBK Electronics is a market leader in China and looking to expand globally hence the creation of their North American arm – OPPO Digital.|access-date=13 January 2016|archive-date=4 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704124728/http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/technology/oppo-digital-dv-971h.html|url-status=live}} In March 2019, BBK Electronics announced imoo as its newest member and also a performance sub-brand.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gsmarena.com/imoo__a_new_brand_for_mobile_phones_emerges_in_china-news-18945.php |title=imoo – a new brand for mobile phones emerges in China |access-date=31 July 2016 |archive-date=27 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927011242/http://www.gsmarena.com/imoo__a_new_brand_for_mobile_phones_emerges_in_china-news-18945.php |url-status=live }}

BBK Electronics' headquarters and production base were located in Chang'an, Dongguan.{{cite web|url=http://www.dg.gov.cn/gjhycs/s33353/201206/514125.htm|title=INTRODUCTION TO BBK (OPPO) COMPANY|date=18 June 2012|publisher=The People's Government of Chang’an Town|access-date=29 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526075131/http://www.dg.gov.cn/gjhycs/s33353/201206/514125.htm|archive-date=26 May 2016|url-status=dead}} It was the biggest taxpayer in Chang'an.{{cite web|url=http://www.dg.gov.cn/gjhycs/s33353/201206/514125.htm|title=INTRODUCTION TO BBK (OPPO) COMPANY|date=18 June 2012|publisher=The People's Government of Chang’an Town|quote=BBK (OPPO) is a leading enterprise in Chinese electronic information industry with headquarters and production base set in Chang’an Town. It is the highest taxpayer of Chang’an.|access-date=29 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526075131/http://www.dg.gov.cn/gjhycs/s33353/201206/514125.htm|archive-date=26 May 2016|url-status=dead}}

In Q1 2017, BBK Electronics shipped 56.7 million smartphones, surpassing Huawei and Apple to become the 2nd largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, behind Samsung.{{cite news|title=BBK is second largest smartphone manufacturer|url=https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/business/bbk-second-largest-smarphone-manufacturer-2017-05/|work=Electronics Weekly|date=26 May 2017|access-date=19 June 2017|archive-date=7 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907121852/https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/business/bbk-second-largest-smarphone-manufacturer-2017-05/|url-status=live}}

In 2020, BBK Electronics represented by Oppo, announced its involvement in independent research and development of chips.{{Cite web |title=步步高系入局，OPPO造芯要过这七关{{!}}界面新闻 · JMedia |url=https://www.jiemian.com/article/4028449.html |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=jiemian.com}} Vivo also followed up to manufacture chips, mainly in cooperation with MediaTek.{{Cite web |last=聯合新聞網 |date=2022-04-21 |title=vivo揭密自製影像晶片V1+ 更容易支援手機90fps或120fps呈現 |url=https://udn.com/news/story/7098/6254550 |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=聯合新聞網 |language=zh-Hant-TW}}

As of October 2022, BBK Electronics' Chinese-market website redirects to its subsidiary, Guangdong Little Genius Limited Technology Corporation, a manufacturer of smartwatches marketed for children.{{cite web |title=小天才官方网站 |url=http://www.gdbbk.com/ |website=小天才 |access-date=28 October 2022 |language=en}}