Vivo, ZEISS form global partnership to promote, develop mobile imaging

Chinese handset maker Vivo on Thursday said it has formed a long-term strategic partnership with optical solutions firm Zeiss to jointly promote and develop innovations in mobile imaging technology.

The first 'Vivo ZEISS co-engineered imaging system' will be featured in the vivo X60 series, a statement said.

As part of the collaboration agreement, Vivo and Zeiss will establish the Vivo ZEISS Imaging Lab, a joint R&D programme to innovate mobile imaging technology for Vivo's flagship smartphones, it added.

The strategic, multi-faceted collaboration is designed to allow Vivo and ZEISS to build on each other's strengths and advance mobile photography technology, it said.

Additionally, the companies will launch the 'Vivo ZEISS Master Photography' campaign to promote the Vivo ZEISS co-engineered imaging system and to inspire users to enjoy their creativity with Vivo's flagship smartphones.

"Based on the synergy and complementarity of optical expertise and new digital technologies, Vivo and ZEISS intend to make the strategic collaboration a starting point to create new opportunities for mobile imaging, enable more creativity, so as to support the long-term and healthy development of the entire industry," Spark Ni, Senior Vice President and CMO of Vivo, said.

Joerg Schmitz, Head of ZEISS Consumer Products, said the breadth of ZEISS's decades-long expertise with optical technologies and imaging will enable vivo to enhance the imaging performance of its flagship smartphones.

In a separate statement, Vivo announced its #SwitchOff campaign in India that urges smartphone users to choose to take a break from their smartphones and spend quality time with their near and dear ones.

The campaign is founded on the observation from its 'Smartphones and their impact on human relationships 2020' that average usage of smartphones by Indians is estimated to have gone up 25 per cent to almost 7 hours a day as people depend on these gadgets for work/study from home and entertainment amid the pandemic.

The study also brought out that the increased screen time could have an impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of a person, and excessive usage is, in turn, having an adverse impact on relationships.

The campaign unveils a film which underlines the observation that even when people sit with friends/family, they are still engrossed on their phones, and this impacts the quality of time spent. The film features actor Fareeda Jalal playing the role of a grandmother, who has just about had it with this trend.

The film showcases a playful metaphor that is used to communicate the larger issue of quality family time being spent on smartphones. The campaign has been conceptualised and executed by Lowe Lintas.

The smartphone emerged as the central nervous system for everything, but its excessive use has impacted human relationships, Vivo India Director Brand Strategy Nipun Marya said.

"As a brand aligned to the purpose of promoting the wellbeing of our consumers, we, at Vivo India, commissioned this campaign to sensitise people about the benefits of mindful use of smartphones and spread the message of why there is a need to #SwitchOff your phones once in a while for healthier minds and stronger relationships - leading to happier lives," he added.