That first-ever OnePlus foldable could arrive shortly after Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5
Regardless of their names, brand recognition, reputation, or experience in the mobile industry, all companies looking to join the foldable game in 2023 and beyond will inevitably be compared with market pioneer and global sales leader Samsung by both the media and prospective customers.
That includes Google, with the search giant's rookie foldable effort deemed by many far too expensive a week ahead of its official announcement, and OnePlus, which seems to be planning a first-of-its-kind product launch suspiciously close to the next big Unpacked shindig.
This still-mysterious OnePlus foldable was already teased a couple of times by its manufacturer and even officially slated for a vague Q3 debut a couple of months back. But now a generally reliable Twitter tipster is narrowing down that window (a little) by predicting an August launch.
That's... still pretty unclear, leaving the door open for an actual commercial release anytime after that point while also failing to forecast an exact announcement date. But it's certainly better than Q3 or "later this year", and it might further contribute to Samsung's rumored decision to hold this summer's Unpacked event earlier than originally anticipated.
Like the Pixel Fold, of course, the as-yet-unnamed first-gen OnePlus foldable device is unlikely to rival the existing Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 or the upcoming Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 in sales numbers around the world.
Our first foldable, coming later this year. #OnePluspic.twitter.com/1Mk3VVrWxt
— OnePlus_USA (@OnePlus_USA) March 1, 2023
But Samsung may still want to take every necessary precaution to ensure its market segment supremacy goes unchallenged for at least a little while longer. After all, if there's one thing we know about OnePlus, it's that the company can compete on pricing with just about anyone, which is something that Google seems completely uninterested in at the moment.
OnePlus also has the wonderful Oppo Find N2 to rely on for the design of its impending Galaxy Z Fold 5 challenger, although rumor has it the brand will not just roll out a clone of an existing product under its name in August.
At one point, OnePlus was actually reported to be working on two different foldables eyed as direct rivals for Samsung's Fold and Flip families, but the Flip-style model is now expected to keep us waiting until next year.
Whatever OnePlus is cooking up in the foldable space, we're fairly certain that the company itself will soon start to reveal little tidbits, features, and specs, so be sure to keep an eye on our website for regular updates on the matter.
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