More OnePlus Open details showcase uninterrupted view of new hinge and screen [Video]

OnePlus is confident in the Open; so confident, in fact, that a second video has surfaced showcasing the pre-release foldable with permission from the company. With the latest video, the OnePlus Open’s hinge design is on full display and we get a better look at the screen crease situation.

For a device that has been kept under wraps as well as it has, OnePlus has let enough slip about its new foldable. In a recent interview, Peter Lau disclosed that the new hinge design is derived from the Oppo Fold N2, which is a product released by OnePlus’s sister company. It was also subsequently revealed that the OnePlus Open and Oppo’s next book-style foldable would be essentially the same device.

That’s all to say the OnePlus Open is coming stacked, because the company has essentially two generations of foldable experience under its belt without ever having released one.

In a video published by Michael Fisher, the OnePlus gets the most public appearance we’ve seen, complete with a factory tour and a clear view of the hinge mechanism hidden inside the OnePlus Open.

The video notes that the OnePlus Open has a relatively clean crease, much like Oppo’s foldables. Compared to the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5, the Open clearly hides it’s crease better. That isn’t to say it doesn’t exist, because it’s still very much visible. The reason for that is an improved hinge design in the OnePlus Open that cuts the part count down to 69 – 31 fewer than the Oppo Find N2 had.

A new, lighter alloy is used in the design and carbon fiber is introduced to trim the weight even further and add additional structural support. Cobalt Molybdenum and Zirconium are also used to further add support and strength while cutting down weight. OnePlus also adds exposed adhesive on purpose to trap dirt and debris before it can sink down into the gears and other mechanisms that remain so critical.

We also get a good look at the gauntlet of durability tests that OnePlus puts the Open through, similar to what we’ve seen from Samsung for its Fold series. The first includes a rating drum that simulates 1-meter drops for a series of 30 repetitions. If no damage is sustained, that’s a winning Open. Both the USB-C port and button array get tested, as well as bend tests and straight drowning.

It’s noted that the OnePlus Open has built-in drainage holes specifically for releasing trapper water. The oiled OnePlus Open hinge mechanism is then able to function as normal after getting sprayed or dunked, apparently to IPX2 and IPX4 ratings, which still doesn’t live up to non-foldable phones on the market now.

Of course, these are “pre-production” units and don’t entirely reflect OnePlus’s final foldable design.

The Open is set to debut rather soon – October 19 – and it comes with some top-end specs like a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and a fantastic camera array, according to previous leaks. It’s still not known if OnePlus’s high level of confidence is correctly placed, but the Open is shaping up to be an exciting entry for the company into the foldable space.