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Hands-On With the $1,700 'OnePlus Open' Foldable Smartphone

Dock looking real Apple-esque there.
I thought Apple is the one who copies the other companies? ;)

Screenshot 2023-10-21 at 12.10.20.png
 
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I have an iPhone XS and an iPad mini 6. I would consider an iPhone foldable that combines the devices. Rather than make the iPhone bigger, make it foldable and offer it for less than the combined cost of a future iPhone Pro Max and iPad mini.
I agree with Dan’s assessment … the OnePlus Open represents technological „unfolded“ advancement.

iPad mini 6 versus OnePlus Open …

screen: LED < > OLED
refresh: 60Hz < > 120Hz
resolution: 2266 x 1488 < > 2440 x 2268
ppi: 326 < > 426
cameras: 12 MP < > 32/48/64 MP
optical zoom: 1x < > 6x
brightness: 500 nits < > 2800 nits
weight: 293 g < > 239 g
depth: 6.3 mm < > 5.8 mm​

Not bad for the mini tablet part of the OnePlus Open!
Will the rumored iPad mini 7 at least catch up to it?
 
I’m over 50 and have to say that one thing age provides is experience. Experiencing what it was like to own and use devices that had plastic screens that scratched, took on imprints from styluses or fingernails or keys, coins, etc.

No matter what anyone says today about foldable screens with ultra thin glass covers that require a plastic screen protector, they are never going to survive in big volumes the way a thicker glass screen has proven out.

And no, there is no pending change in physics that will allow a rigid crystalline substrate to also be foldable.

So you can suggest that older people are averse to change, but I’ll counter that with your desire for something doesn’t make it the right thing or even a thing that will ever become mainstream, simply because you want it to be.
 
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Haters gon hate. If this had iMessage I’d switch. This phone is a beauty, well done. Meanwhile us poor iPhone saps will have yet another model in a year that looks like our iPhone 12’s. Apple is waiting because this will cannibilize iPad sales.
 
And I'm 64. And while I wouldn't buy this phone, I like the concept, and have a Flip5 as one of my phones. I think our age group isn't any less excited by new as any other age group...
 
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Tagbert said:
Funny how we all still have fingers. Holding a tablet is different than a phone. Thin bezels on a table are a net negative.
Click to expand...

The point is that since when it's open it's very close to a tablet size, larger bezels are not unreasonable. If you looked at the from cover display the bezels there are comparable to other non foldable flagships.
 
loopi77 said:
How do you want to hold and use the iPad without the bezels.
Click to expand...
So tired of people still talking about needing bezels to hold a tablet. The iPad has had very good thumb rejection since the first gen 2012 iPad mini when bezels first became narrower than thumbs. You can hold any modern iPad with your thumb fully or partially on the display near the edge and the iPad will ignore the input. It's also smart enough to tell when the input near the edge is a tap and hold and not a thumb holding up the iPad.
 
The main concern with a folding phone right now is probably still the durability. iPhones easily last 4-6 years at least (between durable build quality and software support). I am guessing the average shelf-life of a folding phone would probably be closer to 2-3 years, before the screen starts developing problems or the crease becomes too pronounced to ignore. This would be a hard sell at a time when people are holding on to their phones longer.
 
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foldability is like sunroof in a car. nice to have? sure. need it? no. will I even use it? most likely never.
and the crease.....there is no way to solve such problem
 
Billy_Bob said:
I would rather see Apple go entirely in the opposite direction and release a receiver that's as tiny as possible for maximum portability, which does nothing but direct traffic to and from the larger Apple device of your choice. Imagine an iPhone nano, the size of the old tiny iPod nano, which will let you send and receive calls from the device but which is really intended to turn your MacBook or iPad or other Apple device into a fully functioning smartphone.
Click to expand...

You could USB-C dongle this (like a tiny USB SSD stick)... and I would guess it already exists somewhere.

Update: Yep for 5G data. Pair with a VOIP app and that should make any device a "phone" for calls & texting... much like my iPad mini Cellular stands in as an iPhone (Voip app + Buds with mic). Works just fine.

That one looks like it has some size (like a SSD drive) but I bet there are some that are smaller with some hunting. I think the size will have a dependency on antennas needing enough length to effectively connect.
 
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Mrjoedot said:
foldability is like sunroof in a car. nice to have? sure. need it? no. will I even use it? most likely never.
and the crease.....there is no way to solve such problem
Click to expand...
You had a folding flip phone. You’ll be okay. Add the Apple logo you’ll buy it
 
szw-mapple fan said:
The point is that since when it's open it's very close to a tablet size, larger bezels are not unreasonable. If you looked at the from cover display the bezels there are comparable to other non foldable flagships.
Click to expand...
Sure. I understand the need to compromise on bezels for convertible devices like this. I was just arguing against someone else who thought that large bezels on a recent iPad are antiquated. I feel that they are helpful in holding a larger rigid device.
 
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Mrjoedot said:
foldability is like sunroof in a car. nice to have? sure. need it? no. will I even use it? most likely never.
and the crease.....there is no way to solve such problem
Click to expand...
I think I could get used to a crease. I’ve played around with some foldables and while the crease is visible (and feelable) it doesn’t really get in the way and your visual system is very good at learning to ignore static elements that don’t matter.
 
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Mansu944 said:
It just seems like one more thing to do. Why would I want to open my phone all the time? other then real estate what is the appeal?
Click to expand...
i can See the appeal of a foldable because at home it stays opened and while mobile you can pocket it and use it like a normal phone.
 
Tagbert said:
Sure. I understand the need to compromise on bezels for convertible devices like this. I was just arguing against someone else who thought that large bezels on a recent iPad are antiquated. I feel that they are helpful in holding a larger rigid device.
Click to expand...

I do think that bezels on iPads, especially on smaller ones like the the mini and 9.7 inch, are antiquated. We had much smaller side bezels on the iPad mini 1-5 and 10.5 inch pro and there wasn't much of an issue:
szw-mapple fan said:
The iPad has had very good thumb rejection since the first gen 2012 iPad mini when bezels first became narrower than thumbs. You can hold any modern iPad with your thumb fully or partially on the display near the edge and the iPad will ignore the input. It's also smart enough to tell when the input near the edge is a tap and hold and not a thumb holding up the iPad.
Click to expand...
 
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