With the Moto Razr and second-generation Samsung Galaxy Fold smartphone on the horizon, foldable phones are likely to make a major splash in 2020. However, don’t expect OnePlus to jump on the bandwagon any time soon.
In an interview with the Vergecast podcast, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau said the company had examined the possibility of building a foldable phone, but has decided against moving forward with the tech at this point.
Speaking via an interpreter, Lau said there was no “significant advantage or value” to be had at present, given the tech’s current limitations.
The interpreter Eric Gass said: “Foldable is actually an example of something that we have looked into but not pursued. That’s because, in looking into the application of what’s currently available for foldable screen technology, we haven’t found that the significant advantage or value that’s brought that isn’t outweighed by the shortcomings or the disadvantages of the current state of the technology.”
Lau also went into detail on what would have to change in order for OnePlus to leave its comfort zone and join the likes of Samsung, Motorola and Huawei in the future.
Related: OnePlus 8
The CEO, via Gass, added: “If you look at the fold and the current foldable technology devices, it’s very large and not very clean or a very crisp fold. That also currently results in a lot of screen creasing or issues with where the fold is in the screen. This isn’t something that I can accept in products that are built. Only when the technology is able to get to the level where that folds can be really crisp and not impact the screen at where the fold happens is when it could be potentially usable or potentially applicable.”
When OnePlus does decide to go all in on a foldable phone, we don’t expect it to be a surprise. The company has gotten into the habit of revealing key features months ahead of release. For instance, rather than allowing months of speculation to ruminate, the firm admitted this week that its next phone, the OnePlus 8 will boast a 120Hz refresh rate. For this, the majority of smartphone users are grateful.
The full Vergecast interview is well worth a listen, so dive in for more on how OnePlus plans to improve its camera tech.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
