Oppo and MediaTek Preview On-Device AI Omni Model at MWC 2026

MWC 2026 Preview: Oppo and MediaTek unveil on-device AI

Oppo and MediaTek announced new on-device artificial intelligence capabilities for future smartphones at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026. The two companies are collaborating to develop and deploy new AI features for Oppo phones that do not require cloud connectivity to function. The announcements were made at MediaTek's AI for Life keynote on Wednesday. The main highlight was a preview of the jointly developed Omni AI model, which can be deployed and run entirely on-device, powered by MediaTek's chipsets.

Oppo and MediaTek Showcase On-Device AI Capabilities

In a newsroom post, Oppo detailed the announcements made by both companies during the MWC 2026 keynote session. Jason Liao, President of the Oppo Research Institute, said, On-device Compute is a cornerstone of Oppo's AI strategy, making AI a perceptible, real-time experience integrated into everyday usage. The company highlighted that the technology enables low-latency, privacy-preserving, and personalised AI experiences.

Oppo and MediaTek announced that they worked together to bring new on-device AI features and improve existing tools via the chipmaker's flagship mobile platforms. As part of the collaboration, the AI Translate and AI Portrait Glow features in the Oppo Find X9 series will be improved. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset, the new features are said to offer performance at a similar level as cloud-based tools. It will be rolled out via the upcoming ColorOS 16 update.

Notably, the press note stated that boosted AI Translate achieved about 15 percent of improvement in accuracy, as well as better multilingual translation. Similarly, the upgraded on-device AI Portrait Glow feature is said to be better at analysing and reconstructing scene illumination.

Additionally, the two companies also shared a technology preview of Omni, an on-device AI model capable of multi-modal understanding. It supports voice, video, and text input to help users get relevant answers to their queries. It is unclear when Oppo plans to release the AI model to its smartphones, and which phones will be the first to get it.

The smartphone maker added that at MWC 2026, the Oppo Find X9 Pro was shortlisted for the best smartphone award at the Global Mobile (GLOMO) Awards, which is organised annually by GSMA.

Officials involved said the collaboration highlights a shift toward on-device AI where processing happens locally on the device rather than in the cloud. The newsroom note frames this as a key component of Oppo's AI strategy and a path to real-time, privacy-conscious user experiences.

An exact date for Omni's release was not established in the press statements released by either company, nor was there any indication as to which specific Oppo devices would be included among the first to receive them. The companies referenced a forward-thinking attitude, highlighting future capabilities they believe will be available due to device interoperability between hardware & software within both companies.

At MWC 2026, both companies presented a unified vision to demonstrate how Oppo's existing ecosystem of devices will be integrated into MediaTek's newest mobile technology platforms. Both companies plan to focus on improving the device's computational power as well as creating more effective solutions for translation and imaging problems related to common smartphone usage scenarios.

As observed by observers, the demo-like nature of the Omni preview and the claimed parity with cloud-based performance could influence how Oppo markets on-device AI in the future. However, the lack of a concrete release window leaves room for questions about timing and device eligibility.

Overall announcements indicate a growing industry trend toward on-device intelligence that retains user privacy whilst providing low latency.

• Omnidirectional AI Model - Multi-modal understanding on-device with voice, video and textual input.
• On-device Computing - Cornerstone of Oppo's AI Strategy, providing real-time experiences that preserve user privacy.
• AI Translate - Improved accuracy by ~15%, enhanced multilingual translation capabilities (supports most languages).
• AI Portrait Glow - Improved analysis and recreation of scene lighting.
• Platform Capability - Feature set supported by MediaTek Dimensity 9500 Processor.
• Software Rollout - Updates to Oppo Find X9 series via ColorOS 16.

Note - Find X9 Pro shortlisted for GLOMO award at MWC 2026.

These are the main points from the official newsroom, primarily in the press releases or highlight video (keynotes). While the timing is unclear, this is a starting point to assess how Oppo and MediaTek will implement on-device AI for future products.

Now that these points have been made public, observers will look to see when Oppo begins announcing specific product deadlines and how ColorOS 16 and related firmware updates will be distributed. The MWC 2026 announcements glimpse what the future could look like when on-device AI is ubiquitous across the entire line of Oppo smartphones.