Rumors suggest that OnePlus could enter the world of foldable phones this year. Reports indicate that the company may already have two devices in the works, likely based on the foldable Find N series that has already been released by OnePlus parent company Oppo.
Here’s everything we know so far about the still unnamed – and so far unofficial – OnePlus foldable phones.
When will the OnePlus foldable phone be released?
OnePlus has yet to confirm that it will launch a foldable device, so there’s no indication of when or if it might arrive.
Tipster Max Jambor teased that the launch will take place this year, in a slightly cryptic visual leak for the announcement:
We also have reason to believe that the first foldables will arrive soon as the company has dropped them in China: OnePlus V Fold and OnePlus V Flip. This obviously suggests that two phones come in different guises and they must already be in the works. Mukul Sharma, the journalist who even reports that according to its source the phones have started internal testing.
How much will the OnePlus foldable phone cost?
As with the release date, we don’t have solid details on how much you’ll need to spend to buy a foldable phone from OnePlus. What we do know is that there are plenty of rumors suggesting OnePlus foldables will be heavily based on the Oppo Find N series, likely the latest Find N2 and Find N2 Flip, so we can use their prices as a guide.
Here’s how much the Oppo Find N costs in China, where it’s currently on sale:
If the rumors are true, then the foldable OnePlus could have very similar prices to those listed above.
What specs and features will we see in OnePlus foldable phones?
Indian tech site PriceBaba is behind the loudest rumors about the OnePlus foldable. In April 2022, he posted a story describing the new foldable as “a copycat of Oppo’s Find N”. It was in collaboration with tech journalist Yogesh Brar who regularly contributes to sites like 91Mobiles, which specializes in new device leaks.
It’s not as unusual as it sounds, as OnePlus is one of the subsidiaries of BBK Electronics, which also owns Oppo, Realme, and Vivo. We have also seen in the recent past that the two brands in question now share R&D and design teams.
Still, the Find N is now over a year old, so it’s likely any new OnePlus foldable would be more closely based on the follow-up Find N2, or its clamshell sibling Find N2 Flip.
Pete Lau, chief product officer for OnePlus and Oppo (and one of the founders of OnePlus) shared on Twitter what appears to be the hinge for a foldable phone, confirming that work is still in progress on other foldables. It could have just been a reference to the second-generation Oppo Find N, but it’s just as possible that this is our first look at a component of OnePlus’ foldable phones.
BBK may consider developing different brands in particular markets. OnePlus is well established in the US, UK and European markets, so it could be a strategy that OnePlus launches essentially the same device as Oppo, but for the West, while Oppo will focus on Asian markets where recognition of the name is stronger.
With the Vivo X Fold unveiled in April 2022, it would seem reasonable to assume that the remaining BBK companies, OnePlus and Realme, would enter the fray fairly quickly, which would be much easier thanks to the sharing of technologies between their brands. It therefore seems very likely that the eventual OnePlus foldable will be based on either the Oppo Find N or its successor.
It’s a more compact form factor than the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 which also launched last year.
For now, you can check out our guides to the best new phones coming in 2023 as well as the best phone deals to see if you can score a bargain.
