OnePlus Open 2 wishlist: All the features I want to see

While Europe and parts of Asia have experienced a variety of excellent foldable phones, the US had limited options beyond Samsung for years. Fortunately, this is no longer the case, as 2023 brought several compelling alternatives from Google, Motorola, and, more recently, OnePlus. The OnePlus Open, launched late last year, received a reasonably solid critical reception. As the first official foldable device to bear the OnePlus name, the Open is an outstanding product and feels much more polished than one might typically expect from a first-generation device. This is largely thanks to the brand’s association with OPPO. Of course, nothing is perfect, so here’s what I’d like to see improved with the OnePlus Open 2 when it hopefully arrives later this year.

Improved durability would be nice

The OnePlus Open is a beautiful phone, but it’s also fairly fragile. To be fair, all foldables are naturally more prone to damage and require a little more care than your average device. Nonetheless, durability has certainly improved on devices like the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5, which features IPX8 water resistance combined with strong Corning Gorilla Victus glass protection. Similarly, the Pixel Fold also has IPX8 protection and Gorilla Glass, though the phone has had several reports claiming its glass is thin, fragile, and easy to break in half.

While I don’t expect the OnePlus One 2 to solve all the durability issues currently commonplace among foldables, it should, at the very least, try to keep pace by prioritizing durability. At a minimum, this means an IPX8 dust rating. Even better, I’d like to see dust resistance. Building a foldable that can keep out dust is a major engineering feat, but Samsung has already admitted it’s working on it. If OnePlus wants to keep up with its competition’s innovation, it would be wise to invest in similar research if it wants the public to take its offering seriously.

Its Oxygen OS-based software still has some quirks to work out

It’s no secret that many of us were less than thrilled when OPPO and OnePlus merged their software efforts, creating a common codebase between Oxygen OS and Color OS. The good news is that Oxygen OS has been on an upward trajectory in recent years and has grown into a respectable Android skin. Oxygen OS still has its bugs and can be a bit inconsistent at times, but it generally works well as a mobile OS. As far as foldable-specific features go, Oxygen OS is still somewhat of a mixed bag.

Let’s start with what it got right: Multi-tasking is excellent. OnePlus uses a layer on top of Android called Open Canvas, which allows you to virtually expand beyond the screen’s physical limits. In short, this lets you run an app in full size, avoiding the squished view common with many other foldables. You can even store extra apps along the edges of the 7.8-inch display, instead of cramming the experience into smaller windows. There’s another feature called Triple Split that lets you use three apps side by side on the main display.

While OnePlus’ additions are extremely useful, the OnePlus Open 2 needs to kick things up a notch. Not only do I hope to see further refinement of existing features, but it’s also important for OnePlus to introduce functionality that is commonplace among its competitors. While the OnePlus Open has decent software, Samsung’s foldable experience feels much more comprehensive. For example, Samsung allows you to treat your internal and external displays separately, enabling a different home screen layout depending on whether your phone is open or closed. Samsung also has Flex Mode, a Desktop mode, and several other features that would be nice to see on the Open 2 as well.

Wireless charging

The OnePlus One boasts a 4,805mAh dual battery, which is quite large for a foldable device, offering approximately 405mAh more capacity than what’s found in the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5. It also surpasses the Galaxy Fold 5 in charging speed, with a capability of 67W versus 25W. The result is a phone that can comfortably last through a day’s use and can recharge up to 50% from zero in just 18 minutes, achieving full power in about 41 minutes. OnePlus might be leading the foldable market in terms of battery life and charging speeds, but it falls short in one area: wireless charging.

OnePlus has made it clear that it doesn’t see wireless charging as a priority for its flagship devices, a stance that holds true for the OnePlus Open as well. Personally, I am fine with this decision, but I know many people who appreciate the convenience of wireless charging, even though I don’t find connecting a USB-C cable particularly burdensome. Nonetheless, perception is crucial for an emerging series like the OnePlus Open. Adding wireless charging—at least as fast as Samsung’s 15W—would solidify the OnePlus Open 2 as the undisputed champion of battery and charging, at least as long as none of its competitors beat OnePlus to the punch.

It should be priced less than its predecessor

OnePlus might be a known player for many of us tech nerds, but it doesn’t have nearly the same level of brand power for most mainstream consumers. Add to this the rumors that the Fold 6 will be a massive upgrade over its predecessor with a completely new aspect ratio, and it’s clear OnePlus will continue to have strong competition in the foldable space. That’s why I think a price cut would go a long ways in helping OnePlus gain marketshare. Those of us who have been burned by OnePlus in the last few years or have simply never heard of it might be more willing to take a chance if the price gap is a bit wider between the two foldables.

The OnePlus Open retails for just $1699, which is only $101 less than the more capable Fold 5. I’d like to see the OpenPlus Open 2 hover closer to the $1,600 mark, even if goes a little bit over that. This would make it the cheapest foldable in the US tablet-hybrid market and could appeal to those who are looking to save a bit of money, similar to how the Motorola Razr undercuts its competition. Whether OnePlus could pull this off while still making the improvements I suggested above? That’s a bit less clear, but certainly not impossible.

Better update commitment

In 2023, Google set a new benchmark for OS software updates with the debut of the Pixel 8 series, offering seven years of OS and security updates. Early in 2024, Samsung followed suit, extending a similar promise of seven years of OS and security updates to its Galaxy S24 series. Currently, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 and the Pixel Fold are provided with five years of software updates. However, both companies will likely expand their seven-year commitment to future devices. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Open is only guaranteed four years of OS updates, though it benefits from five years of bi-monthly security updates.

Whether OnePlus will attempt to match the commitments made by Google and Samsung remains to be seen, but at the very least, I would like to see five years of OS updates. While it would be lovely to see a seven year commitment, it’s probably not as necessary here. Foldable phones, being more fragile and a relatively new technology, see major improvements with each generation compared to your average candy bar phne. This means it’s less likely for someone to keep using the same phone for more than three to five years anyway.

Will there be a OnePlus Open 2?

Despite recent rumors suggesting that OnePlus was backing away from foldable devices, the company has clarified that these rumors are baseless, and it remains committed to exploring foldables. Although OnePlus’ statements did not explicitly confirm the development of a product named the OnePlus Open 2, the continuation of their foldable line seems likely. The first-generation device received a generally positive reception, though it was criticized for its high price relative to other high-end foldables, especially given its lack of certain key features. The “Open” name suits the product well, so it’s unlikely that the branding will change in the near future.

As for the release date of the OnePlus Open 2, it’s difficult to predict with only one model previously released. The original Open was available for pre-order on October 19, 2023, and began shipping on October 26. OnePlus might target the same fall launch timeframe for its successor, but it’s too early to definitively say.

For what it’s worth, we’ve seen a few OPPO Find N5 rumors in recent times. The Find N3 was rebadged as the OnePlus Open, so the Find N5 could be the OnePlus Open 2. The most recent Find N5 rumor points to a Q1 2025 launch window, so this could be the OnePlus Open 2 launch window too.

Should you wait for the OnePlus Open 2?

The OnePlus Open 2 is likely just under a year away and still has plenty of life left in it, so there’s no immediate need to wait for it. As for whether you should buy the OnePlus Open, it depends. If you appreciate OnePlus’s take on multitasking with Canvas, the phone could be worth the investment. However, be aware that you’ll be missing a few features that are commonplace in other high-end foldables.

Not impressed by the OnePlus Open? The Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 ($1799 at Amazon) or the Google Pixel Fold ($1799 at Amazon) would make great alternatives, and you really can’t go wrong with either option. Samsung’s foldable arguably has the most polish thanks to years of innovation in the foldable category, but the Pixel Fold has some key design differences that truly help it stand out.