Chinese smartphone brand Oppo has issued a formal apology to its users, promising to strengthen user data protection measures and halt the preinstallation of third-party applications.
Chanon Jirayukul, senior executive vice president of Thai Oppo Co, told the press on Friday that the company regrets preinstalling loan apps in its phones and has taken immediate action to address the situation.
As of Tuesday (January 14), Oppo removed all preinstalled loan apps on its phones, including the Fineasy app. Additionally, from Thursday, it started rolling out over-the-air (OTA) updates, allowing users to delete Fineasy and other preinstalled apps from their devices.
To safeguard user privacy and security, cloud data related to the Fineasy app has been deleted, though users can decide for themselves what they want to do with data stored on their phones.
Chanon clarified that Oppo does not store customer information, as the app developer is a third party. He also confirmed that Oppo will no longer pre-install any loan applications on its devices. The smartphone manufacturer has also outlined a support plan for users affected by the preinstalled “Happiness Loan” app.
"As a platform provider, Oppo deeply regrets and is concerned about the difficulties faced by those affected by this app," Chanon said. "Though the 'Happiness Loan' app is an independent third-party application, we are committed to assisting impacted Oppo users. For this, we have established a 24-hour hotline at 1800-019-097 and are actively collaborating with relevant authorities to provide comprehensive legal support to those affected."
Chanon emphasised Oppo’s commitment to complying with Thai law and maintaining responsibility by relying on industry standards and establishing auditing procedures for all applications.
"When we reviewed the approval documents for the preinstallation of the 'Happiness Loan' app, they appeared to meet the necessary requirements," he said. "However, following user complaints, we deeply regret the negative experience and have immediately removed this app from Oppo devices. We are cooperating with relevant authorities in their investigation."
Additionally, he said, Oppo will focus on enhancing user experience by carefully managing third-party applications. It also encourages feedback from the media and users to improve its operations, he added.
Chanon confirmed that Oppo will collaborate with the Bank of Thailand and other regulatory agencies to seek further guidance.