Although the OnePlus Open is the company’s first foldable, realistically, it’s a third-generation device, with Oppo’s Find N series paving the way. Even still, the Open features improvements that top the fifth-generationSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 5and add functionality thatGoogle Pixel Foldusers could only currently dream of. The OnePlus Open earns its status as agreat foldable phonebecause it feels like it was designed and engineered by people who learned from previous foldable mistakes. And while the creature comforts might seem small, the result is definitely more impactful than the sum of their parts.
Multitasking done right
Open Canvas proves that innovation isn’t dead with smartphone software. I thought Samsung nailed the multi-app experience with OneUI, but OnePlus pushes even further. Instead of settling (heh) for two apps sandwiched side-by-side, Open Canvas allows for a free flow of up to three apps, allowing for each app to use various aspect ratios. The experience is fluid, and rather than dealing with cramped windows pulling your attention back and forth, you can glean information from one app and quickly type it up in an email without feeling cramped.
Samsung did a respectable job with OneUI multitasking, allowing up to four stationary apps with a floating window for a fifth, but it’s not the same. App Pairs, which I love on OneUI, is trumped by App Trios on the OnePlus Open. Pixel Fold users, meanwhile, might find themselves crying in the corner while reading this, as Google’s dual-screen multitasking just can’t hold up. Overall, Open Canvas is a vastly improved experience and should be the standard going forward for foldables.
More than just a pretty face
Since the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung hasn’t made wholesale design changes to the Fold series in years — sorry, but closing the gap doesn’t count — all while we drool over the advancements made by companies overseas. Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi push the envelope of foldable design with larger outer displays and different aspect ratios. Still, Samsung seems content to sit on its laurels in the United States.
Google tried to offer something different with the Pixel Fold, giving users a wide outer display experience and a landscape-dominant inner display. Unfortunately, the result led me to use the external display almost exclusively, defeating the purpose of spending extra cash on a foldable.
OnePlus strikes an outstanding balance with the Open. Despite being a mere 0.11-inches wider, the Open is a significantly more comfortable typing experience than theGalaxy Fold 5. In addition, the inner display experience doesn’t feel overwhelming with the increased size and is more conducive to multitasking than the Pixel Fold. Many elements come down to personal preference, but OnePlus found a sweet spot of comfort and functionality.
It just keeps going
Samsung stabilized battery life on the Fold series thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 powering the Galaxy Z Fold 5, as the more efficient chipset allowed the device to achieve over 6 hours of screen on time consistently. Unfortunately, Google didn’t have as much luck with the Pixel Fold on launch; it managed a mere 5 hours of screen-on time until the Android 14 update brought it back to respectability.
The OnePlus Open comes out of the gate with almost 8 hours of screen-on time. It’s a massive jump, ensuring you will get all-day battery from a foldable — something we haven’t been able to say in the US. It’s an impressive leap, and it’s an area Google and Samsung will have to address to stay competitive.
Tortoise and the Hare
Samsung and Google seem embroiled in a pillow fight to see which will be the first to feature 30W charging on one of their foldables. Meanwhile, OnePlus is lapping the field with SuperVooc 67W charging available on the Open. It’s a ridiculous difference in charging speeds, with the Open able to charge fully in just 42 minutes. By comparison, the Pixel Fold takes 3 hours to charge fully. While the lack of wireless charging proved a sore spot for reviewers everywhere, the fast-charging on display here almost makes up for it.
I don’t know why companies are averse to faster-charging speeds on devices in the United States, with even OnePlus guilty of offering slightly slower speeds than is available on the same device overseas. I hope OnePlus motivates companies to reverse the trend, and Samsung can at least bring back the 45W charging it used to feature on Galaxy devices.
Seeing is believing
I remember the first time I took my Galaxy Z Fold 2 outdoors. The plastic coating attracted every fingerprint and smudge within a 3-mile radius, and the glare was the pièce de résistance. It made outdoor viewing borderline miserable, and I was certain Samsung would address the issue in future versions — I’m still waiting. Somehow, Google managed to make the inner display on the Pixel Fold even more reflective; its screen borders on achieving a mirror-like status.
The anti-glare layer on the OnePlus Open is a welcomed addition. It will still show fingerprints and smudges but without the overpowering reflections, making daylight viewing more enjoyable. It’s a minor addition, but it’s part of why the Open feels like actual foldable users designed it.
Playing catch-up
I would have more sympathy for Google and Samsung if the writing hadn’t been on the wall for a while. Google owns YouTube, so I’m sure someone at the company has seen videos showing off the different foldables from abroad. Similarly, Samsung competes against these devices in other markets; it was only a matter of time before a company brought these improvements stateside. Either way, it means more competition — which is excellent for the rest of us.
OnePlus Open
OnePlus' first foldable challenges Samsung and Google by providing a phone with a bright, anti-glare inner display, snappy performance, and outstanding battery life. It features SuperVooc 67W charging, more than double what is on the Fold 5 and Pixel Fold, and a light and thin design that makes it more pocketable.
