So far, 2023 has been shaping up to be the year of the foldable, with Samsung updating itsGalaxy Zlineup, Motorola dropping theRazr+, and Google launching its inauguralPixel Fold. But we’ve also been following the upcoming Oppo Find N3 Flip andOnePlus Open. As leaks and rumors accumulate, we’ve now got projected launch dates and details about a potential delay.
Noted leakerYogesh Brarhas suggested the N3 Flip will come out in late August in China, andMax Jambor chimed inwith a more specific claim of an August 29 release date. The OnePlus Open may see a global launch in late September or early October. Brar cites a potential last-minutechangein phone display supplier at OnePlus, and a multinational patent dispute between Oppo and industry competitor Nokia as potential causes of product launch delays.
Patent infringement lawsuits with Nokia have run Oppo intodistribution problemsin Europe. India’s Supreme Court has also recently ruled that Oppo owes Nokia patent royalties for illegal production and distribution in that country. As a sister company to Oppo, OnePlus shares financial exposure to these issues.
Early design renders of the Find N3 Flipshow the upcoming phone bears the “Hasselblad” logo for its camera system, as have prior iterations. But the N3 sports a new third lens not present on the N2, presumably for improved telephoto zooming.
OnePlus originally planned to launch the Open internationally in August. If Brar’s prediction proves accurate, and the phone hits the global market in October instead, it will compete for exposure with newest-generation product launches by Apple and Google.
Oppo has already proven itself at home. As of June 2023, it held a formidable 6% of the Chinese smartphone market, according toStatista. If the Chinese manufacturer and its sister company can recreate the hype and success of the last generation Oppo N2 and OnePlus 11, they could prove to be tough competition for the more established brands in the foldable segment.
