OPPO reveals MeshTalk: Chat to friends without a network, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth

Oppo revealed more details regarding its under-screen camera technology yesterday, giving us a taste of what’s to come in the future. That wasn’t the only major tech announced by OPPO though, as it also revealed MeshTalk.

MeshTalk is a “proprietary, decentralized communication technology” that supports texts, voice messages, and calls between OPPO devices, the company says. The tech — which doesn’t require Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or a cellular connection — is slated to work at a distance of up to three kilometers (1.86 miles). MeshTalk can also use signal relay between devices to create an ad-hoc network for group chat and a wider range.

OPPO is also positioning MeshTalk as being beneficial for IoT, indoor navigation, and marketing. It suggests that a MeshTalk-enabled device could connect to payment devices at parking garages, or connect to stores at a mall for navigation and personalized marketing.

The company says it’ll continue to refine the tech ahead of its eventual launch (we don’t have a launch window yet), specifically targeting increased battery life and improved signal strength. We’ve asked OPPO for more details, such as whether it requires specific hardware, and will update the article accordingly.

This wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen this kind of tech used on smartphones though, with the FireChat app gaining prominence back in 2014. FireChat allows users to communicate with each other without Wi-Fi or cellular data, sending messages via Bluetooth and peer-to-peer Wi-Fi. The app became a go-to download during the 2014 Hong Kong protests, helping users stay connected when internet services were blocked or cell networks were overloaded.

What do you think of OPPO’s MeshTalk? Give us your thoughts below!

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