Samsung continues leading the foldable phone market despite all the efforts from Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Motorola to threaten the Korean tech giant's dominance. But as the foldable market grows, so is the number of parties interested in taking a shot at the foldable phone segment. And more reports are now coming in to remind us that OnePlus may compete with Samsung's foldable devices later this year.
OnePlus is supposedly planning to release a large-screen foldable phone before the end of 2023. According to a new rumor that came to light via the Chinese social media network Weibo, OnePlus's first foldable phone is intended to go on sale in Q3, thus directly challenging the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Samsung getting more rivals but also more display clients?
Although specifications are unknown, the source claims this OnePlus foldable will have a 2K display resolution. Details on the display's size and aspect ratio are missing, and it's unclear whether OnePlus will acquire this large foldable display from Samsung or a different manufacturer.
OnePlus will not only have to challenge Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5 but also Google's first foldable smartphone known as the Pixel Fold. It, too, is supposed to go on sale in Q3, and it is being developed with Samsung's help – or at the very least using Samsung Display technologies. The foldable market is getting more crowded, and this should have a two-pronged effect on Samsung as a group. Foldable display sales should increase, but the mobile division will need to be careful not to lose too much market share.
Whether or not OnePlus' book-like foldable phone will also use a Samsung Display panel remains to be seen. Either way, OnePlus may have big plans for the foldable market, as the company may be working on multiple foldable smartphones for 2023. Not just the book-shaped device. Or at least, that's what market watchers were predicting last year.
OnePlus used to be one of the most competitive OEMs that challenged Samsung's candy bar smartphones for years. It no longer possesses the market power it once did, but the emerging foldable phones segment may give it a second chance at competing with Samsung.
Time will tell if OnePlus will achieve what other Chinese OEMs could not and become a threat to the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5. For now, a 2K display doesn't say much about OnePlus' book-like foldable. And even if its specs may be impressive on paper, the Oppo Find N2 Flip already proves that on-paper specifications aren't the only thing that matters in this era of mobile devices. Build quality, advanced software features, and the user experience, as a whole, go a long way.
