OPPO, Realme Rush to Remove Controversial Pre-installed Loan Apps

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OPPO Thailand's top executives apologize with traditional Thai gesture to customers affected by pre-installed unauthorized loan apps at EmSphere shopping complex, Bangkok, January 17, 2025. (MATICHON PHOTO/ Surin Muksri)

BANGKOKOPPO Thailand has announced measures and progress regarding the “unauthorized loan apps” controversy, confirming that updates to remove the “Fineasy” and “Happy Loan” apps will be completed across all models by January 27. The company has also established a 24-hour special hotline for affected customers.

The Thai mobile phone industry was shaken last week when complaints emerged about loan applications pre-installed on Chinese-branded phones without authorization from the Bank of Thailand. This led to both OPPO and Realme being summoned by various regulatory authorities to explain the situation and propose consumer resolution plans.

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On January 17, Chanon Jirayukul, Senior Executive Chairman of OPPO Thailand, announced during a press conference that the company has implemented the following measures to address the third-party loan applications “Fineasy” and “Happy Loan” that were pre-installed on OPPO smartphones:

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  1. As of January 14, 2025, OPPO has ceased pre-installing Fineasy and Happy Loan apps on all new smartphone models.
  2. Starting January 16, 2025, the company began rolling out OTA (Over-The-Air) updates to remove these applications.
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Chanon Jirayukul, Senior Executive Chairman of OPPO Thailand and Thongchai Muangmai, Legal Director of Possify Group, announce remedial measures for unauthorized applications pre-installed on OPPO phones at a press conference at EmSphere, Bangkok on January 17, 2025. (MATICHON PHOTO/ Surin Muksri)

Regarding consumer protection rights, OPPO confirmed that all Fineasy cloud data will be completely deleted. Users can manage any remaining local data on their devices themselves. For the Happy Loan app, which operates independently as a third-party application, OPPO clarified it never stored any related data.

The OTA updates have already been completed for four smartphone series: Find X8 Series, Reno13 Series, Reno12 Series, and A3 Series. Updates for all remaining models will be completed by January 27, 2025.

Thongchai Muangmai, Legal Director of Possify Group, emphasized that OPPO’s personal data protection policies comply with local laws and regulations. The company does not share user data with third parties without consent and has implemented privacy protection systems that meet international standards, including ISO 27001 and ISO 27018 certifications.

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Realme has announced that its final batch of OTA updates will be completed by January 21, 2025.

“This incident serves as a crucial lesson for our company,” Chanon stated. OPPO has established a special hotline (1800 019 097) operating 24/7 to handle complaints and is collaborating with government agencies and independent organizations to expedite legal proceedings for affected users.

Meanwhile, Realme has announced that its final batch of OTA updates will be completed by January 21, 2025.

Jiraporn Sinthuprai, the Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office overseeing the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), noted that multiple agencies are involved in this case, including the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC), Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Bank of Thailand, and the OCPB. Currently, nine complaints have been filed, and affected consumers are encouraged to report their cases to the OCPB for assistance.

The press conference concluded with OPPO executives offering a traditional Thai wai in apology, without taking questions from the media.

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