An ode to the OnePlus Open, or why Samsung needs a reality check and rethink Galaxy Z Fold 6

An ode to the OnePlus Open, or why Samsung needs a reality check and rethink Galaxy Z Fold 6،

available now, and it’s definitely one of the highlights of 2023 for me, at least as far as phone launches come and go.

Starting with the main and most important aspect of any self-respecting person foldable phoneTHE OnePlus Open is a sleek, lightweight, premium phone that doesn’t have the usual ‘starting issues’ normally associated with such devices. There is no crease; you can see where the screen would bend, but you won’t feel any gaps when you run your fingertips across the middle of the screen. The super manageable weight also means that the OnePlus Open isn’t much different from a regular large candybar phone, like the iPhone 14 Pro Max or Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The camera is yet another area in which the OnePlus Open seriously getting ahead. The no-nonsense and pragmatic approach has allowed the OnePlus phone to offer very impressive camera versatility and overall image quality. You get a consistent camera experience with almost no extraneous software features, a rather impressive telephoto lens that delivers superb lossless image quality even at 6X zoom and can peek up to a zoom 100X optics, matching Samsung’s Galaxy S flagships.

The hardware itself is also impressive. THE OnePlus Open is the first phone to feature internal and external LTPO displays that provide a smooth scrolling experience (1-120 Hz for internal screen, 10-120 Hz for cover screen). Both can also achieve exceptionally high peak brightness, which is surely shaping up to be the next arms race in the smartphone scene.

And how can we forget the ultra-fast charging and the wall adapter included in the box of the OnePlus Open? Samsung apparently has no interest in equipping its phones with charging faster than the current 45W soft cap, and I’ll bet you we’ll never see a Samsung flagship phone with a wall adapter in the box again .

Finally, the financial aspect comes into play. OnePlus Open starts at $1,700, but you can get it for around $1,500 with a qualifying trade-in. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Pixel Fold are normally more expensive, but now often have various deals. However, this aggressive price entry into the American foldable market is making an impression.

I have never used foldable phone for longer than a regular review would normally require, as I simply failed to see the appeal of the form factor and simply couldn’t live with the obvious design flaws that existed. foldable phones introduced, like the unsightly display crease of the Galaxy Fold or the excessive weight of the Pixel folding. That said, the OnePlus Open is the first foldable phone I could see myself using it as a daily driver without compromise.

Yes, it is technically true that the OnePlus Open is pretty much a rebranded Oppo Find N3, so it’s essentially a third-generation product that’s been perfected thanks to Oppo’s know-how in the field. Yet even taking these criticisms into account, this latest device is subjectively superior and could be seen as the tipping point that will force Samsung to rethink its strategy in the foldable market.

What could Samsung change in the future?

We all know that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is coming next summer. It’s too early to know any details about the device, but once it’s leaked, we’ll know pretty much everything. That’s why we can’t really say whether Samsung will continue with another minor refresh or rethink its philosophy behind the Galaxy Z Fold line.

While there are chances for a minor refresh, I’d like the biggest Android manufacturer to shake things up and finally release a proper foldable flagship. Because let’s not kid ourselves: the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a true flagship in name only, with nothing really exciting aside from its high price tag. Equipped with no revolutionary features and slightly repeating the formula behind previous Galaxy Folds, this one made us wonder if Samsung is still capable of innovation.

Has Samsung lost the will to innovate?

Certainly, Samsung was for several years the undisputed leader in foldables sold in the United States, not because it had a spectacular product, but… because of the lack of competition in the field! Now that Google and OnePlus have finally joined the race, it’s high time for the South Korean giant to step things up and deliver a desirable super-premium. foldable phone.

It seems like excessive complexity and over-engineering got in the way of the sensible features and improvements we could have had. Chief among them is the under-display camera on Samsung’s foldable devices, which is a questionable addition at best. Not only is it not invisible, but it also offers questionable image quality at best.

There’s no under-screen camera on the OnePlus Open… but do we need such over-the-top complication on deck?

If I had to make a wish list, I would surely put design at the top, with eliminating the screen crease being a top priority. Then improving the cameras will be the second priority, because there is simply too much catching up to do. A periscope is probably out of the question, but a clever trick could allow Samsung to adapt its 100X Space Zoom to foldables.

Finally, and this is where wishful thinking comes in, I can only hope Samsung finds a way to bring the price down. I know, I know, prices generally go up, but one way to boost sales is to lower prices; If any company can absorb the potential damage that a slight price drop would bring, it would be Samsung.

This will be a way to get its foldables into more pockets, potentially locking more customers into the ecosystem, which should pay off in the future, both literally and figuratively.