Unleash the Future: 5 Essential Features in the Upcoming OnePlus Open 2 Foldable Phone
The OnePlus Open 2: 5 Things I Want to See
It’s been over a year since I first got my hands on the OnePlus Open, and now rumors of a successor are heating up. Oppo, the parent company, has confirmed a February launch window for its next foldable, the Find N5, with a teaser on Weibo. This launch window will likely only apply to China, but I expect this new phone to launch worldwide later on as the OnePlus Open 2.
As a fan of the original OnePlus Open, I was impressed by its potential and ended up using it as my daily driver for two happy months. However, I did notice a few rough edges that eventually led me to switch back to slab phones. My curiosity for the folding form factor hasn’t wavered, though, and I recently found myself booting up the Open, wondering if I could make the switch back.
With a new revision on the horizon, I’m hopeful that OnePlus can continue its success in the standard phone world with its folding devices. Here are 5 things I want to see from the OnePlus Open 2:
A bigger, better battery
One of the most noticeable trade-offs to using a folding phone is a diminished battery life compared to a similarly-specced slab phone, and the OnePlus Open is no different. Though the Open can get you through a day of use, you’ll certainly end up watching your battery percentage more than you would using a comparatively priced slab phone.
Phone makers are beginning to phase out lithium-ion based batteries in favor of silicon-carbon battery designs, which have a much greater energy density and therefore can hold more charge in the same amount of space. I’ve been lucky to try out this new tech for myself via the Oppo Find X8 Pro, which has such great battery life that it’s fundamentally changed the way I think about charging my phone.
A software safety net
The 7.82-inch inner display found on the OnePlus Open is its defining and best feature, but it brings a unique challenge when it comes to optimization. Not every app you’ll find on the Google Play Store is optimized for foldable devices, especially older apps and games, which means apps can become hard to use or even crash entirely when switching from the outer display to the inner panel.
It’d be ridiculous to ask every developer to prepare their apps for the ultimately niche folding phone sector, but perhaps OnePlus could take up some of the slack by implementing a software safety net of sorts with the OnePlus Open 2, that allows the inner or outer display to continue running unoptimized apps in their original aspect ratio when the user switches to either display.
A higher IP rating
Folding phones like the OnePlus Open are mechanically far more complex than a traditional phone, and have multiple moving parts that require a decent amount of space to operate. Unfortunately, this means there’s little chance of a folding phone ever having an IP68 rating – at least not with current technology.
The OnePlus Open has an IP rating of IPX4, which translates to resistance to splashes of water but no protection from solid particles whatsoever – beachgoers beware. This is one of the few categories where the OnePlus Open is properly lagging behind. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 manages an IP48 rating – submersible with resistance to 1mm-wide particles, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold can handle a dip but can’t deal with dust.
Better cameras
The OnePlus Open has a decent camera setup, but it’s not without its flaws. The primary camera struggles in low-light conditions, and the ultra-wide-angle lens can be a bit soft. I’d love to see a significant upgrade in camera tech, perhaps with a higher-resolution primary sensor, improved low-light performance, and better image processing.
A more premium design
The OnePlus Open has a decent design, but it’s not particularly premium. The phone’s plastic body and lack of official IP68 rating make it feel a bit cheap compared to other flagships. I’d love to see a more premium design, perhaps with a glass back, metal frame, and IP68 rating to match the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Overall, I’m excited to see what the OnePlus Open 2 has in store. With a few tweaks to its battery life, software optimization, IP rating, camera setup, and design, I think the Open 2 could be a real contender in the foldable phone market.
