OnePlus, known for its affordable high-spec Android phones, has given a sneak peek of its upcoming foldable phone to YouTube channel Unbox Therapy. In a video uploaded to the channel, host Lewis Hilsenteger interviewed Pete Lau, the founder of OnePlus and now chief product officer of Oppo. The main feature of the unnamed folding phone is its ability to fold completely flat. OnePlus has filed 35 patents for the phone’s hinge, aiming to reduce weight and size while increasing strength. The OnePlus foldable has 31 fewer hinge components compared to the Oppo Find N2 and is 37% smaller. Demonstrations showed that the fold was tight enough to hold a sheet of paper and the weight of the phone.
While Apple dominates major markets like the US and Japan, it has yet to enter the foldable phone market, leaving room for companies like Samsung and Google to differentiate themselves and potentially attract Apple users. Foldable phones are a growing segment in the smartphone market, with shipments increasing by 10% in contrast to the overall decline of global smartphone shipments by 9% in 2023, according to Counterpoint Research. However, Samsung recently reduced its foldable production targets and currently has eight weeks of inventory.
OnePlus has faced criticism for losing its core identity as a value-oriented phone company. Critics point to similarities between OnePlus and Oppo products and the gradual increase in prices since the merger. Pete Lau, however, emphasized the strengthened R&D capabilities of the merged company and the positive reception of their products. The new OnePlus foldable phone seems to be a return to the company’s original DNA, featuring the unlock slider and a covered camera array. Although no release date has been announced, Indian actress Anushka Sharma was spotted with a folding phone that closely resembled the OnePlus foldable.
