OnePlus Open specs, price and release date: everything we know so far
Upcoming debut foldable looks set to borrow heavily from sister brand Oppo
Update: OnePlus has now revealed the OnePlus Open. Read our news story on the launch as well as our hands on OnePlus Open review.
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It’s been no secret that OnePlus is has been developing a foldable upcoming phone and it will be called the OnePlus Open. The firm announced its plans earlier in 2023 at Mobile World Congress and it will finally launch later today – read on for more!
Originally we expected the OnePlus to be called the OnePlus V Fold thanks to numerous rumours. But a tweet from OnePlus itself in July essentially confirmed the phone would be called OnePlus Open. The message was very deliberately timed an hour before Samsung’s Unpacked event to launch the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5.
In the launch event announcement, OnePlus president Kinder Liu says of the device that “OnePlus Open is the dream smartphone, set to break the compromise between display technology, imaging performance, and weight that has become the status quo for existing foldable devices.”
OnePlus Open release date and price
We’ve known since earlier in the year that the OnePlus Open would emerge during late 2023. This was due to a teaser for an upcoming mystery device back in February during the OnePlus 11 launch event. And OnePlus has now confirmed a launch event for 19 October in Mumbai, taking place at 10am EDT, 4pm CEST and 7.30pm IST.
We don’t yet know if it’ll get a global rollout, or whether certain countries will get it before others. The OnePlus 11 launched in China in January 2023, then in India and Europe a month later. However, given that OnePlus is deliberately pitching the launch event at the US, Europe and India suggests it will at least come to those three places.
In terms of pricing, there’s no sense guessing how much the phone will cost, either. With shipping and raw materials costs having jumped over the last year or so, and exchange rates dipping worldwide, what might be a bargain one month could quickly look mighty pricey the next. We do know OnePlus prides itself on ‘flagship killer’ pricing, so we’re hopeful it will land for less than the £1749/$1799 Google Pixel Fold.
Leaker Roland Quandt claims that the OnePlus Open will start at $1,699, which would peg it $100 cheaper than the $1,799 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 as well as the Pixel Fold.
Sister company Oppo already has foldable, the Find N2, which is staying China-only unlike the more widely available N2 Flip. It seems the OnePlus entry will be along the same lines as the Find N2 and upcoming Find N3. Check out our Oppo Find N2 hands-on review (spoiler: we really liked it). The Oppo Find N3 is almost certainly a sister phone to the OnePlus Open and both will share many specs.
One Plus Open design
Some teasers have been put out by OnePlus (as usual OnePlus can’t resist putting loads of the features of the phone out in the wild before launch). The most revealing shows the alert slider, which is a classic OnePlus design feature.
A series of renders posted by Onleaks and Smartprix show the OnePlus Open based on early internal prototypes, suggesting a big circular camera bump and a faux leather material for the back of the phone. A glass or metal finish is also expected to be an option at launch. The firm’s signature alert slider will reportedly make an appearance, too.
We should expect a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, rather than an under-display sensor, and it should run Android 13 out of the box. That implies an Autumn launch to us, as Google is expected to release Android 14 around October/November time.
OnePlus has also given some early access to excellent YouTuber Mr Mobile, whose pics and access leave little to the imagination about OnePlus Open.
OnePlus Open hardware rumours
Apparently the original plan was for an earlier launch in August. But switching suppliers for the folding inner screen pushed things back. There’s also talk of Nokia’s ongoing dispute with OnePlus causing issues.
Currently the biggest hardware scoop come courtesy of Twitter tipster Onleaks and Indian tech site Mysmartprice, which claims we can expect flagship-tier hardware from the Open.
We should expect a 6.3in outer display, which unfolds to reveal a 7.8in internal screen. Both will be AMOLED panels, and have 120Hz refresh rates. Underneath, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU will run the show, and come paired with 16GB of RAM for mega multitasking. 256GB of on-board storage seems a lock, too. A 4800mAh battery will give it an edge over rival foldables with smaller cells, and wired charging will apparently top out at 67W.
OnePlus Open cameras
Hasselblad is back on board for the rear camera, which will have three lenses: a 48MP primary, 48MP ultrawide and 64MP telephoto. It’s not clear what level of zoom the telephoto will manage. There’ll be two selfie cameras to choose from, with a 20MP snapper inside and a 32MP on the cover screen.
There have been several tweets teasing the cameras, including sample photos and detailing the stackable pixel tech.
What we’d also like to see
We’ve tested plenty of book-style foldables, so have a good idea what makes a good one – and also what pitfalls any newcomer to the form factor needs to watch out for. Here are a few things we’d like to see OnePlus pull off with its debut effort.
Rapid charging
Few book-style foldables on sale officially in Europe has especially rapid charging times; the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 tops out at 25W and the Google Pixel Fold is even slower at 23W. The Honor Magic Vs is the de facto leader at 66W, although there are several China-centric models that match it, including the Oppo Find N2. Given OnePlus and Oppo are under the same umbrella, we’re hopeful the Open can at least match it for wired top-ups. Equally quick wireless charging would be a bonus.
Stylus support
This isn’t a must-have, but if OnePlus wants to properly sock it to Samsung, we reckon it should launch the Open with support for the OnePlus Pen. The digital stylus launched alongside the OnePlus Pad tablet earlier in the year, and would be perfect for note-taking, doodling and generally getting work done. It’s something the Galaxy Z Fold 4 supports (even if you’ve got to buy an S Pen separately), and something the Google Fold goes without, so including it here would help the Open stand out.
- Related: OnePlus Pad review: clean slate
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor