OnePlus could release its first flip phone that might be better at taking pictures than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Chinese tipster Smart Pikachu posted on Weibo that OnePlus’s parent company Oppo’s next flip phone could use a telephoto camera and that a OnePlus version could follow.
A OnePlus flip phone would likely be a rebranded version of the upcoming Oppo Find N5 Flip phone, which is the successor to the Oppo Find N3 Flip. OnePlus and Oppo devices often share the same hardware as Oppo is the parent company.
However, if both phones use a telephoto camera they could have a significant advantage over other foldables by providing a longer zoom range and producing more compelling portrait photos. This is in contrast to most clamshell-designed phones that don’t pack a telephoto lens, with the only exception being the Oppo Find N3 Flip.
A new flip foldable would also likely benefit from the same Hasselblad color tuning much like most of the current Oppo and OnePlus flagship phones, including the OnePlus Open and Oppo Find N3 Flip.
Despite rumors claiming that the Oppo Find N5 Flip was canceled, Smart Pikachu’s post claims that Oppo has not given up on foldable products. However, they also point out that development is half a year behind its competitors, which could still lead to both flip phones being dropped.
Moreover, Oppo has denied these claims and said Flip phones are a popular form factor, meaning it's unlikely to just give up on the Find N Flip series however, those phones could shift to a OnePlus-only edition going forward.
If a OnePlus flipping-style foldable is released this year it would be going up against some stiff competition, as Samsung is expected to release the Galaxy Z Flip 6 at a Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event in July or August.
It will also be competing with fellow Chinese phone manufacturer Honor which is planning to release a Flip phone this year, and the recently released Nubia Flip 5G that’s touted as the cheapest clamshell foldable on the market right now.
However, OnePlus has proven that it can compete with the best phones on the market, and given the success of the OnePlus Open, a flip model could prove a popular option.
