OnePlus is getting ready to launch its very first foldable smartphone. The OnePlus Fold or OnePlus V Fold will be its name, as things stand at the moment. The OnePlus Fold does make more sense, but the OnePlus V Fold name did get trademarked by the company. So, take your guess. We’ll have to wait until the launch in order to find out.
We’ll talk more about the launch date/timeframe below. Quite a few companies already launched their book-style foldables, several iterations of them, so it’s about time OnePlus joins the fold. Read on to find out what you can expect out of this smartphone.
This article will be regularly updated with new information on the OnePlus Fold (this is a preview article) — both official teasers and credible leaks, rumors, and insider claims — as it becomes available in the run-up to the release of the upcoming Android smartphone. The last update was made on July 5, 2023.
When will the OnePlus Fold be released?
OnePlus has officially confirmed that its very first foldable smartphone will launch in Q3 this year. The company did not share the exact date or month just yet. A tipster did say that the device is coming in August, though. That information is still not verified, but it could easily happen. It would put this launch after the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 launch (July), and before IFA in Berlin and Apple’s new iPhone 15 series launch event (September).
What models are coming?
OnePlus trademarked two names for foldable phones, the OnePlus V Fold and OnePlus V Flip. Those two are presumably reserved for the book-style and clamshell-style foldables. The thing is, we haven’t heard anything about the ‘Flip’ thus far. Only the ‘Fold’ is coming, and we presume that it’ll be available in more than one storage option. We’re still not sure how much storage will OnePlus offer, but we do expect it to go up to 256GB or 512GB. The company is expected to offer UFS 4.0 flash storage here.
How much will the OnePlus Fold cost?
The price tag of this handset still didn’t surface. One thing is for sure, though, the OnePlus Fold won’t be cheap. This phone will offer flagship-grade specs, and it’ll be a foldable phone after all. The OnePlus 11, OnePlus’ flagship, actually launch with a great price tag (at least in the US). Don’t expect the OnePlus Fold to be anywhere near that level, though. You can expect it to cost over $1,000, well over $1,000, in fact. If we had to guess, we’d even say over $1,200. In Europe, the price tag will likely be even higher than in the US.
What will the OnePlus Fold look like?
Based on rumors, the OnePlus Fold will basically look like the OPPO Find N3. That handset didn’t launch yet either, it’s expected to arrive in a couple of months. Rumors basically indicate that the OnePlus Fold will be a rebranded version of the OPPO Find N3, which is possible, as both companies are a part of BBK Electronics. They’ve shared designs and tech in the past, and have very similar Android UIs too.
What does that mean, though? Well, the OPPO Find N and Find N2 were different than other book-style foldables. They had very compact outer displays, and a horizontal layout when unfolded. So they were quite short compared to the Galaxy Z Fold phones, for example. We expected the same to happen with the OPPO Find N3, despite the fact OPPO plans to increase its display size. Based on a sketch that surfaced (shown below), though, the Find N3 and OnePlus Fold could be more similar to the Galaxy Z Fold series than the Find N3 predecessors, especially if leaked CAD-based renders are to be believed.
As you can see in the provided images, the OnePlus Fold will resemble Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup more than it will the Pixel Fold or the OPPO Find N2. It will be more of a vertically-oriented phone. The device will include a camera oreo on the back, with three cameras in it. That camera oreo will protrude, of course. The OnePlus Fold will fold flat, and as you can see in the renders, eco leather will be included on the back. An alert slider will also be a part of the package. The phone also seems to be quite thin. The device is tipped to launch globally in Black and Green color variants, while the Gold color will be added to that lineup in China.
What specs will the OnePlus Fold have?
The OnePlus Fold is tipped to utilize the allegedly upcoming Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 SoC. That chip is expected to launch in the near future. If not, then the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will be used, we’ll see. Regardless, the OnePlus Fold will have a flagship-grade processor on the inside. The phone is also rumored to include up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 flash storage.
The main display is tipped to measure 7.8 inches in diagonal. That will be a QHD+ OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The cover display is rumored to measure 6.3 inches, and that will likely be a fullHD+ OLED panel. That display will also offer a 120Hz refresh rate. A 4,800mAh battery was also mentioned in rumors, as was 67W fast wired charging. It remains to be seen if the device will offer wireless charging, but the Find N and Find N2 did not.
What about the cameras? Well, if rumors are accurate, the OnePlus Fold will include a 50-megapixel main camera. A 48-megapixel ultrawide unit will also be included, as will a 64-megapixel telephoto periscope camera. Hasselblad will be a part of the picture too. Two 32-megapixel selfie cameras were also mentioned, one for each of the phone’s displays.
Android 13 will likely come pre-installed on the OnePlus Fold, along with OxygenOS 13 adapted for foldable devices. If the device launches in August, it’ll likely get Android 14 in the coming months, before the end of the year.
Should you wait to buy the OnePlus Fold?
Should you wait for the OnePlus Fold, or getting something else right now? Well, that’s the answer only you can provide. However, if you really want a OnePlus foldable, with OxygenOS on it, the launch of this phone is not far away. There are some book-style foldables available in markets outside of China, but not many of them. As far as last-gen products go, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 (and the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5), HONOR Magic Vs, and Huawei Mate Vs are available. Each of those phones is compelling in its own way. Who knows, though, perhaps the OnePlus Fold will be more compelling and have a better price tag. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 4, it’s expected to fold flat. Also, it’ll likely have a less noticeable crease, so… there you go.
2023-07-05 15:07:10