Realme

{{short description|Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer, a subsidiary of Oppo}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Realme Chongqing Mobile Telecommunications Co., Ltd.

| trading_name = realme

| native_name = 真我 (Zhēn wǒ)

| native_name_lang = zh

| logo = Realme logo SVG.svg

| logo_size = 250px

| industry = Consumer electronics

| foundation = {{start date and age|2018|5|4|df=y}}

| founder = Sky Li

| location_city = Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

| products = Smart Phones
Tablet computers
Earphones
Powerbanks
Phone cases
Bags
Smart TVs
Smart Watch
Laptop

| homepage = {{url|https://www.realme.com/|realme.com}}

| key_people = {{unbulleted list| Sky Li ({{lang|zh|李炳忠}}) (Founder and Global CEO)|Xu Qi ({{lang|zh|徐起}}) (CMO)|Yao Kun ({{lang|zh|姚坤}}) (CTO)|Wang Wei ({{lang|zh|王伟}}) (CPO)}}

| num_employees = 4,100 (consolidated, as of 2025)

| parent = Oppo

| divisions = Realme Techlife

Realme Dizo

}}

Realme (stylized in all lowercase as гealme) is a multinational Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer based in Shenzhen, Guangdong. It was founded by Li Bingzhong (known as Sky Li) on May 4, 2018, who was a former vice president of Oppo. Starting originally as a sub-brand of Oppo, Realme eventually ventured as its own brand. Realme then became the fastest-growing 5G smartphone brand in Q3 2021.

In June 2020, the number of Realme's global smartphone users reached 35 million, and AIoT product sales broke a record of 1 million. According to Counterpoint Statistics, Realme ranked 7th in the ranking of the number of smartphones produced globally in the first quarter of 2020, with an annual growth rate of 157%, ranking first in the world.{{cite web |script-title=zh:realme品牌故事 |lang=zh |trans-title=realme brand story |website=realme official |url=https://www.realme.com/brand }}

Currently, Realme has entered 27 markets worldwide, including Asia, Europe, Russia, Australia, and Egypt.{{cite web |url=https://www.realme.com/global/brand |title=Brand market |website=Realme.com |access-date=11 May 2024 }}

History

Realme company was founded on May 4, 2018.{{cite web|date=2019-07-29|title=Vivo ships 5.8 million smartphones to India in Q2 2019; breaks its own record|url=https://www.canalys.com/newsroom/canalys-vivo-ships-58-million-smartphones-to-india-in-q2-2019-breaks-its-own-record|access-date=2019-07-29|website=www.canaly.coms|archive-date=2019-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212103635/https://www.canalys.com/newsroom/canalys-vivo-ships-58-million-smartphones-to-india-in-q2-2019-breaks-its-own-record|url-status=live}} Before that it was a sub-brand of Oppo, which is itself a subsidiary of BBK Electronics,{{cite web|last=Prado|first=Phillip|date=2018-10-31|title=BBK Group could soon surpass Samsung as top dog|url=https://www.androidauthority.com/bbk-group-vs-samsung-1049104/|access-date=2019-11-21|publisher=Android Authority|archive-date=2019-12-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218125817/https://www.androidauthority.com/bbk-group-vs-samsung-1049104/|url-status=live}} until its formation as a spinoff on May 4, 2018.{{cite web|last=Artashyan|first=Argam|date=2018-07-30|title=Realme Separates From OPPO: Another OnePlus?|url=https://www.gizchina.com/2018/07/30/realme-seperates-from-oppo-another-oneplus/|access-date=2018-07-30|website=GizChina|publisher=Gizchina Media|archive-date=2019-04-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430094826/https://www.gizchina.com/2018/07/30/realme-seperates-from-oppo-another-oneplus/|url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Hazarika |first1=Skanda |title=Realme 2 Pro and Realme 5/5s/5i Android 10 kernel source code now available |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/realme-2-pro-and-realme-5-5s-5i-android-10-kernel-source-code-now-available/ |website=xda-developers |access-date=15 August 2020 |date=29 July 2020 |archive-date=14 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814215814/https://www.xda-developers.com/realme-2-pro-and-realme-5-5s-5i-android-10-kernel-source-code-now-available/ |url-status=live }}
In May 2018, they released their first phone, Realme 1.
On July 30, 2018, Sky Li announced his resignation from Oppo, and his intention to establish Realme as an independent brand, on Sina Weibo.{{Cite journal|last=Yordan|date=2018-07-31|title=Oppo VP moves to become Realme CEO, targets global brand expansion|url=https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_vp_switches_to_realme_ceo_targets_global_brand_expansion-news-32524.php|website=GSMArena.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-30|archive-date=2019-06-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616162230/https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_vp_switches_to_realme_ceo_targets_global_brand_expansion-news-32524.php|url-status=live}}
On November 15, 2018, Realme adopted a new logo.
On November 22, 2018, Realme became an emerging brand in the Indian market.{{cite web|title=Realme, the No.1 Emerging Brand now: CMR|url=http://cmrindia.com/realme-the-no-1-emerging-brand-now-cmr/|access-date=2020-03-14|website=CyberMedia CMR|language=en-US|archive-date=2019-12-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215093443/http://cmrindia.com/realme-the-no-1-emerging-brand-now-cmr/|url-status=live}} The sales of Realme devices in India have since surpassed the sales of Oppo. Realme has been the fourth largest smartphone brand in India since 2019, behind Xiaomi, Samsung, and Vivo. Realme holds records in India for fastest-charging smartphone and India's first 5G smartphone.{{cite web |title=India's first 5G phone! Realme X50 Pro 5G with 12GB RAM, 256GB storage all set for launch; check details - The Financial Express|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/technology/indias-first-5g-phone-realme-x50-pro-5g-with-12gb-ram-256gb-storage-all-set-for-launch-check-details/1873768/|website=financialexpress.com|date=20 February 2020}}
On May 15, 2019, Realme held its first conference in Beijing to enter the Chinese domestic market, launching the Realme X, Realme X Lite and Realme X Master Edition.{{cite web|last=Jeet|date=2019-04-24|title=Realme officially announces its entry in China|url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2019/04/24/realme-enters-china/|access-date=2020-03-14|website=Gizmochina|language=en-US|archive-date=2019-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713135627/https://www.gizmochina.com/2019/04/24/realme-enters-china/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Media|first=Kompas Cyber|title=Harga Berikut Spesifikasi Lengkap Realme X dan Realme X Lite|url=https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2019/05/16/15120097/harga-berikut-spesifikasi-lengkap-realme-x-dan-realme-x-lite|access-date=2020-03-14|website=KOMPAS.com|date=16 May 2019|language=id|archive-date=2019-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222040658/https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2019/05/16/15120097/harga-berikut-spesifikasi-lengkap-realme-x-dan-realme-x-lite|url-status=live}}
By July 2019, Realme had entered markets including China, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Europe.{{cite web|last=Hamza|first=Muhammad|date=2019-08-07|title=Worldwide user of realme has passed 10 million|url=https://www.technologytimes.pk/2019/08/07/worldwide-user-of-realme-has-passed-10-million/|access-date=2020-03-14|website=Technology Times|language=en-US|archive-date=2019-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823080458/https://www.technologytimes.pk/worldwide-user-of-realme-has-passed-10-million/|url-status=live}}
By August 2019, Realme surpassed 10 million users.
On May 16, 2022, Francis Wong takes over as CEO of Realme Europe.{{Cite web |title=Francis Wong takes over as CEO of Realme Europe |url=https://www.gsmarena.com/francis_wong_takes_over_as_ceo_of_realme_europe-news-54327.php |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=GSMArena.com |language=en-US}}
By April 7, 2023, the parent company, BBK Electronics, went defunct leaving Oppo and Vivo to take over as the parent company of their previous sub-brands. As a result, Realme became an Oppo subsidiary alongside OnePlus. {{Cite news |title=oppo mobiles india: OnePlus, Realme, Oppo to go separate ways as parent BBK looks to de-risk India business |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/electronics/oneplus-realme-oppo-to-go-separate-ways-as-parent-bbk-looks-to-de-risk-india-business/articleshow/100774828.cms |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=The Economic Times|date=7 June 2023 |last1=Mukherjee |first1=Writankar }}

Products

The company has a large number of products such as phones and TV particularly in the Indian market.{{cite web |title=Realme GT Review: Glaringly typical from Realme in all the right ways |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/realme-gt-review/ |website=xda-developers |access-date=13 September 2021 |date=13 September 2021}}

Marketing

Realme's popularity online can be attributed to its successful utilization of community-driven resources such as Facebook. In November 2018, Realme Philippines created the Squad Leader Program.

In 2024, Realme's Squad Leader Program consists of 14 members, two of whom were part of the original trio of Squad Leaders. As part of this program, Realme has been consistently providing the Squad Leaders with Number Series devices since 2018 in exchange for their services.{{Cite web |last=Ancheta |first=Jam |date=2018-11-20 |title=Realme is searching for the next squad leaders! {{!}} Jam Online |url=https://jamonline.net/gadgets/realme-is-searching-for-the-next-squad-leaders/ |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=Jam Online {{!}} Technology News & Reviews |language=en-US}}

= Thailand =

In 2025, Oppo and Realme phones came with a preinstalled illegal loan app that cannot be uninstalled but can be disabled. Following public outcry, the companies announced that they would stop this practice.{{Cite news|date=14 January 2025|title=Oppo and Realme axe loan apps in Thailand|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/2939402/oppo-and-realme-axe-loan-apps-in-thailand|url-status=live|access-date=14 January 2025}}