The OPPO Find X6 Pro is one of the best premium camera phones on the market, thanks to the MariSilicon X, an AI-focused image chip. We might not see these parts on its upcoming products, though, along with the MariSilicon Y audio chip.
No more MariSilicon?
OPPO entered the market for custom chips in 2021 when it announced the MariSilicon X imaging NPU, which would be available in the Find X5 series and several other smartphones. The company then released the MariSilicon Y Bluetooth audio chip, but there is some bad news for the company’s chip design efforts.
The producer of the manufacturer’s custom chips, they revealed to Android Authority that it is closing its ZEKU chip design team. The company cited its decision to “uncertainties” in the global economy and the smartphone market.
Find X5, Find X6 Pro, Reno8 Pro, and other products that currently use MariSilicon processors will not be impacted by the transition, according to the company. That probably indicates that any future gadgets with the processor can still do so.
The company placed a significant emphasis on the X chip, incorporating it into its Find and Reno lines of smartphones. Better low-light photographs and movies have been produced thanks to the hybrid AI/imaging chip’s enhanced noise reduction.
Additionally, the processor offered enhanced 4K HDR video and real-time viewfinder previews. Despite this, we felt that the MariSilicon-enabled Find X6 Pro produced excellent photographs in a short amount of time. Therefore, it seems clear that they was onto something.
The announcement also comes as companies like Google, Vivo, and Xiaomi all deploy unique image and machine learning chips to stand apart from the competition.
We don’t know if the company will resume chip production after the “uncertainties” in the world economy and the smartphone market have stabilized.
