Do you feel like something is still missing from this year's slate of new high-end Android phones? That something might just be the second-ever OnePlus-branded foldable, which the Oppo-owned company decided to delay until next year with little to no justification.
Of course, a product that was never officially announced in the first place can't really be "delayed", but following the successful fall 2023 launch of the original OnePlus Open, it felt reasonable to expect an improved sequel of some sort to start selling... right about now.
Instead of that, OnePlus chose to focus on releasing its latest "conventional" flagship earlier than usual, taking some extra time to possibly refine and reportedly upgrade its Galaxy Z Fold 6 alternative a bit further. Bad call? I personally don't think so, and if you'll give me a few minutes, I'll try to explain why.
Normalize non-regular product upgrade cycles!
Who said that every mobile device needs to get a new iteration every 12 months (or less)? Not Apple, that's for sure, at least as far as some of its tablets, smartwatches, headphones, and even its budget-friendly smartphones are concerned.
Google is another example of a tech giant that's quietly decided to take more than a year to upgrade its first-ever Pixel-branded tablet (no, the 2024 "generation" doesn't count), and even Samsung has kept its hardcore fans waiting a lot longer than expected for a proper follow-up to 2021's Galaxy Buds 2.
The gorgeous OnePlus Open is still without a sequel, and that's fine. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
Granted, a book-style foldable is a much higher-profile device than some Galaxy Buds, AirPods, an iPad mini, or a Pixel Tablet, which is precisely why it makes sense to release a new edition... when it makes sense. If that's the case 10, 11, or 12 months after the launch of a previous version, then great. But if not, 15, 18, or even 24 months works too.
Okay, maybe a two-year wait wouldn't really work unless we're talking about a truly revolutionary and flawless product, but if the OnePlus Open 2 comes out at any point during the first quarter of 2025, its prospects are likely to remain as strong as ever. Especially if its specs, capabilities, and design will be adapted to the industry's latest trends at that point, which already seems all but guaranteed based on the newest whispers across China's main social media channels.
For one thing, the OnePlus Open 2 is widely expected to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which probably wouldn't have been possible this fall. Not worldwide, at least. Other strongly rumored upgrades over the first-gen OnePlus Open include a hefty 5,700mAh battery, no less than three different 50MP cameras, wireless charging support, and incredibly enough, a slimmer profile defying that massive cell capacity bump.
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Could OnePlus have pulled off these upgrades this month or at least this quarter? Perhaps, but if the company needed a few more months to make sure a foldable design with "record-breaking" thinnessand an impressive battery size is feasible, I for one don't have a problem waiting.
Will the OnePlus Open 2 be able to keep the Galaxy Z Fold 7 at bay?
That, my friends and dear readers, is the million billion-dollar question no one can really answer at the moment. But I feel like I can venture a guess based on Samsung's far too predictable smartphone launch schedule and upgrade cycles in recent years.
While the dreamer in me continues to hope for a miracle from Samsung following the recent introduction of the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition, it's certainly realistic to expect... very little from the Z Fold 7 in terms of major upgrades and changes over its predecessor.
The OG OnePlus Open is objectively just as good if not better than the Z Fold 6. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
A lot of folks seem convinced that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be strongly inspired by the currently Korea-exclusive Z Fold SE, which would likely make it inferior to the OnePlus Open 2 in a number of key ways, as well as incredibly late to the Snapdragon 8 Elite party in the summer of 2025.
The thing that's very important to mention is that this year's Galaxy Z Fold 6 is not really better than last year's OnePlus Open if you objectively analyze the two's value equation as a whole, which only goes to show that you don't always need to upgrade every product every year to lead the mobile industry in terms of true and palpable innovation.
Of course, it's not too late for Samsung to take a page from the often-brilliant OnePlus playbook and reverse the tables with a spring 2025 launch of a Galaxy Z Fold 7 inspired by the Z Fold Special Edition but further upgraded with a bigger battery, even better cameras, and a thinner profile. Then again, that's something not even my dreamer side can entertain for more than a few seconds without rejecting as a totally outlandish theory.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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