It sure looks like OnePlus is set to join the foldable market, as Oppo prepares new entries

Ben Schoon | Aug 15 2022 - 9:13 am PT

Foldables are still a relatively young market, but Samsung is proving that it’s one that has customers. Now, as Oppo prepares two new devices, it seems more sure than ever that OnePlus will join the foldable market sooner rather than later.

Oppo made a splash in the foldable space last year with the Oppo Find N, a compact Galaxy Fold-style foldable that stole our hearts, and really showed how expanded competition could do wonders at pushing foldables forward. Yet, the Oppo Find N is only available in China, and it seems there are no plans to bring that device to a global audience.

Hands on: Oppo Find N shows where Fold 3 went wrong, and vice versa

Last week, though, it became clear that Oppo is working on two new foldable smartphones, the Find N Flip and Find N Fold. The two devices not-so-ironically mirror the names of Samsung’s signature foldables, and probably share similar designs – we already know they share the same chip.

But will we see this outside of China?

It seems that at least Oppo’s phones will be available in Europe, but it’s also strongly being implied that OnePlus is going to be releasing foldables this year, and it would be almost a guarantee that a OnePlus foldable would be released for markets such as North America.

OnePlus and Oppo product officer Pete Lau tweeted a closer look at the hinge mechanism for a foldable over the weekend, and Max Jambor claims that these new foldables – one being a clamshell like the Galaxy Z Flip 4, and other being like the existing Oppo Find N – are in development for both Oppo and OnePlus. Previously, Jambor had said that OnePlus would adopt the form factor in 2023.

What do you think this is? 😉 pic.twitter.com/vrT2pzQ7jX
— Pete Lau (@PeteLau) August 12, 2022

Historically, OnePlus has not been quick to adopt new form factors, even saying previously that foldables are “not ready.” But under Oppo’s roof, things have certainly started to change – for better or worse.