Hey OnePlus, canceling the OnePlus Open 2 was a big mistake!

Let's start this one with a preface. The OnePlus Open won our "Best Big Foldable Phone" award in 2023. It came on top of other foldables, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Pixel Fold. That's how good this model was.

Needless to say, we (and all of the tech community) were pretty excited about the successor, the OnePlus Open 2. Even when news broke that the model could be delayed until 2025 and not launch in a one-year window after the first model, we waited patiently.

Most of you know by now that we won't get a new OnePlus foldable in 2025. The OnePlus Open product manager Vale G. shared the news in a forum post, saying, "We carefully considered the timing and our next steps in foldable devices, and we have made the decision not to release a foldable this year."
Now, I think that's a massive mistake, and here is why.

Failing to capitalize on the hype

This could've been the OnePlus Open successor

There's a huge missed opportunity here, especially after the strong initial reception of the original OnePlus Open. The first foldable of the company was praised for its lightweight design, versatile camera system (even by today's foldable standards), and decent performance. It was a great package.

Launching a successor feels logical when you have such a strong foundation. The internet was brimming and pulsating with rumors about the OnePlus Open 2. It boggles the mind why OnePlus would choose not to capitalize on that.

Then there's the Oppo Find N5. We know with almost 100% certainty that this was supposed to be the base for the OnePlus Open 2. Or rather, the OnePlus Open 2 was supposed to be the global version of the Find N5, which brings us to the next key point.

Foldable phones from China steal the show

The Huawei Mate XT won our Breakthrough Innovation award, while the OnePlus Open 2 won't win anything this year...

Last year, Honor launched the Magic V3, which still holds the record for being the world's thinnest foldable, with its 4.35 mm when unfolded. Meanwhile, Huawei showed the world the Mate XT Ultimate, the first production tri-fold device, and it's been available worldwide since yesterday (February 18).

I know that Samsung is still on top when it comes to foldables with a market share of 50.5%. Still, Huawei and Honor made significant gains in 2024, getting to 30.8% and 3.9%, respectively, and Motorola (which is owned by Lenovo) scored 6.2%.

Image by Statista

OnePlus could've easily been up there with those brands if the company had launched the OnePlus Open in 2024, which was the initial release window.

The rebranding that never happened

That's how thin the Oppo Find N5 is going to be

The Oppo Find N5 is gearing up for an official unveiling; the event is scheduled for February 20. And while it's technically a global release, Oppo isn't sold officially in the US, while OnePlus is (the original OnePlus Open can still be bought at Best Buy, for example).

The original OnePlus Open was for all intents and purposes the same phone as the Oppo Find N3 and both phones launched on the same date. The Oppo Find N5 is launching tomorrow, and I can’t wrap my head around the decision not to follow the same path with the OnePlus Open 2.

Rebranding an existing model shouldn't be that difficult and costly! The Oppo Find N5 is already hyped to be the new "thinnest foldable" out there, and launching it as the OnePlus Open 2 could've allowed it to compete with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, at least in the States.

Brand awareness and the Never Settle argument

The famous OnePlus slogan

OnePlus seems to be settling for conventional phones rather than being true to its slogan and pushing into the foldable market. This could have negative implications on brand awareness and on OnePlus fans all over the world.

The tech world is moving fast, and in 2026, most people won't remember that OnePlus had once made a foldable. So, the decision to postpone (or even cancel) the OnePlus Open 2 is strange from a strategic point of view as well.

Most companies that are playing in the foldable game, and specifically those from China, are willing to take a financial hit just to bite some of that sweet market share off Samsung.

Final Thoughts

The original OnePlus Open | Image by PhoneArena

I would like to think that the OnePlus Open 2 has just been postponed and not canceled. Maybe the company knows something I don't. Maybe the company is working on a different concept and doesn't want to rebrand the Oppo Find N5? Maybe we'll see the successor in 2026 with some industry-changing features?

I know this is borderline wishful thinking, and in the current environment, companies want to play it extra safe, but I hope OnePlus strikes back next year. Are you disappointed as well? Would you have bought the OnePlus Open 2 had it launched tomorrow alongside the Oppo Find N5? Share your thoughts in the comments below.