The first OnePlus foldable phone is rumored to be in development
And it might look very familiar
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So far, all we’ve heard from OnePlus regarding a foldable phone is that the companyisn’t in a rush to make one. However, the latest from the rumor mill suggests that such a device is now in development, and may come in a familiar form.
As per sources speaking toPricebabaand tipsterYogesh Brar, the OnePlus foldable is now “in development” – though for the time being we don’t have any indication of when it might see the light of day or how much it might cost.
The same report says that OnePlus is set to launch five smartphones during the course of 2022, and that this foldable phone is outside of that list. Whether or not it launches before the end of the year remains to be seen.
Have we met?
One tidbit of information we do have is that the OnePlus foldable phone is going to be based on theOppo Find N, which is currently only available in China. That makes sense, considering Oppo and OnePlus are part of the same parent company, BBK Electronics.
Oppo and OnePlus have previously confirmed that they’re going to be workingmore closely togetherin the future – merging their smartphone efforts, essentially – so this could be the way that the Oppo Find N is getting an international launch.
Back in 2020, OnePlus CEO Pete Lausaid thatfoldable phones didn’t offer “significant advantage or value” – but times have of course changed. As soon as anything is made official in terms of a OnePlus foldable, we will of course let you know.
Analysis: everyone wants a foldable
It was Huawei andSamsungwho really pioneered the foldable phone form factor in a significant way, and while Huawei has slowed down a little since, we still have the likes of theSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 3and theSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 3.
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That latter phone uses the clamshell style also adopted by theMotorola Razr, which is expected to get a refresh this year. Now it looks as though OnePlus wants to join the party – and we know it’s already beenworking on foldable phone software.
Chinese-based manufacturers like Oppo have jumped in as well,most notably Xiaomi. Vivo is rumored to be bringing out a foldablein the near future, while the most recent leak we’ve just reported on hints that OnePlus could be next in line.
With costs dropping and the technology improving, what aboutGoogleandApple? Speculation about thePixel Foldand theiPhone Foldhas been around for years at this point, but it looks as though Google will beat Apple to the market with a device.
Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
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