Isro signs pact with Oppo India to provide NavIC msg service in mobiles

NEW DELHI: Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has signed an agreement with the Indian arm of Chinese smart device manufacturer Oppo to work towards providing NavIC messaging services in mobile platforms.
Besides the primary function of navigation, Isro’s Navigation with Indian Constellation (NaVIC) also provides a messaging service that is being used for broadcasting safety alerts in areas with poor or no communication, particularly in oceans.
Isro’s MoU with Oppo India will facilitate exchange of technical information of the NavIC messaging service so as to build rapid, ready-to-use, end-to-end application-specific solutions by integrating the messaging service with the mobile handset platform keeping in mind the need of Indian users, a company statement said.
The MoU further reiterates Oppo India’s commitment towards India and its vision towards Atmanirbhar Bharat. It will also pave the way for future collaborations with Isro to develop indigenous solutions by incorporating the NavIC short messaging feature in smartphones released by the company, it said.
Isro chairman K Sivan appreciated the efforts of Oppo India in scaling NavIC application through its innovative R&D initiatives and urged the company to include NavIC in all its upcoming products, a statement from the space agency said.
On the collaboration, Tasleem Arif, vice-president, India R&D head of Oppo, said, “Under the MoU, we will support Isro with our industry-leading R&D capabilities to provide a seamless experience to users of NavIC applications. In line with our vision towards Make In India, Oppo will invest in further scaling the product with its competitive and experienced R&D team. To benefit our users and the government, Oppo will continue to create a positive impact in society through our innovation and technology expertise.”
Oppo India's parent company Oppo, which ranks No. 5 in market share worldwide, operates in over 50 countries, has six research institutes and four R&D centres worldwide as well as an international design centre in London. In India, Opp has its manufacturing unit in Noida and has recently set up an R&D centre in Hyderabad, which is playing a pivotal role in the development of 5G technologies.
Isro’s NaVIC or Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System or IRNSS provides regional navigation services covering the Indian mainland as well as in an area up to 1,500 km beyond the country’s mainland.