What you need to know
- The first OnePlus foldable was shown off on video, highlighting the hinge design.
- Certain elements of the device were concealed, particularly the camera housing, which is expected to be a massive circular housing.
- OnePlus founder Pete Lau notes that the device was created with OPPO, and both companies will launch it for different markets.
The OnePlus Open isn't here yet, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy got an exclusive first look at the upcoming foldable phone, which focuses on the device's hinge and gapless design while hinting at some other unique design elements.
Hilsenteger interviewed OnePlus CEO Pete Lau during his hands-on, discussing the hinge design of the phone (the device wasn't named in the interview, but it's likely to be called the OnePlus Open). Lau notes how the hinge has fewer parts and is smaller than the one on OPPO's previous book-style foldable, the Find N2. He also highlights how the device can fold completely flat and even remain clamped on a piece of paper when closed without dropping.
Certain elements of the phone were concealed particularly the camera housing. Based on the side of the cover, it seems the camera housing is rather large, which matches what we've seen in previously leaked renders. However, we do see that the phone comes in a green colorway, similar to what we've seen on previous OnePlus devices. The phone also comes with the alert slider that OnePlus is known for.
Aside from the design, OnePlus has worked with Google to ensure app compatibility with the larger folding display, which is something we're seeing more of as foldable phones become more widely available.
Interestingly, Lau notes that the OnePlus foldable was jointly created with both OPPO and OnePlus to take advantage of each team's expertise. He says that the phone will have a different go-to-market strategy under both brands, which makes sense as the Find N2 was only offered in China. It stands to reason that OPPO will adopt the same market strategy with the Find N3, while the OnePlus foldable would be the international offering of the same foldable. This would allow more users to experience the same hardware and essentially the same software.
Despite the late entry, Lau seems to have high hopes for the device, saying it's the "best folding phone you can buy right now. It's your dream phone." That's big talk for a company entering the foldable space later than others, especially with devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold taking on the U.S. market and beyond.
As far as when we can expect the device, rumors point to a mid-October launch, so it may not be too long before we get a full official look at the phone.
You can check out the full interview below, including Lau's thoughts on OnePlus developing a flip-style phone.
