OnePlus doesn’t need to overthink the Open 2 — keep it simple

While OnePlus has continued an industry-typical cycle of releasing a new flagship year-over-year in the traditional slab form factor, it decided to take a longer approach to a new foldable. It’s not like there’s heavy competition, at least not in the West. So, I think OnePlus is right to take an extended timeline for a new OnePlus Open as long as it makes focused improvements as it has with the OnePlus 13.

It’s still very much open

And OnePlus is already in the door

The foldable and the entire smartphone market is more diverse in Europe and Asia than in the US. When there are only two companies to battle in terms of book-style folding phones, while massive brands, there is room to grow. Especially when OnePlus is starting from a place of strength with the first Open. Let’s look at the competition.

With its Z Fold line, Samsung holds much of the mindshare for folding phones in the United States. The latest Z Fold 6 is an impressive device but continues the company’s trend of failing to offer anything exciting in its annual release cycle, much like its Galaxy S line. Some may argue that it’s easy to get complacent when you don’t have competition. In the Western markets, Samsung has little and may be too comfortable in its early lead because stale is commonly used to describe its products.

Then there’s Google, which made a big leap in its foldable phone efforts with the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Nearly everything that was wrong with the original Pixel Fold was fixed with the new model. While I like the short and wide aspect ratio of the first Fold, I’m willing to give that up for the improvements made to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The size of the cover display is great and is like using a slab phone. The interior screen is flatter and better to use with the improved software. No Pixel device would be complete without impressive camera and software features.

While it took Samsung and Google multiple tries to offer a product that felt mature and not like a public test unit, OnePlus nailed it on try number one. From the hardware to mostly the software, OnePlus produced a folding phone that I love to use. But in true OnePlus fashion, the cameras are probably bad, right? Wrong. While I wouldn’t put them on the same level as what Google offers, I don’t have any trepidation when the Open is the only phone in my pocket to take photos. With these checks in the Pro column, the task at hand for the next Open shouldn’t be a heavy lift.

K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple, silly

The expectation is that an upcoming successor to the Open will be called the OnePlus Open 2, which makes sense. It would also make sense if OnePlus made only minor tweaks to an already successful phone instead of trying to reimagine it, like Samsung. However, that isn’t what the former is known for, which makes me excited and a bit nervous at the same time.

Some rumors are floating around about potential changes for the new foldable, like bringing wireless charging (yes, please), making it thinner, adding improved water resistance, and a bigger battery. I’m all for these things to make it into a new foldable from OnePlus, and if there were a company I’d trust to make these changes and properly implement them, it would be OnePlus. While that hasn’t always been my feeling, 2025 looks like the year of OnePlus, if the new 13 is any indication.

Aside from durability, the change I’m most excited to see in folding phones is the thickness. Honor has sold the thinnest foldable phone for a couple of years, and the latest Magic V3 is a marvel. While we are still operating on rumors, the idea that OnePlus could challenge Honor in this area is exciting. But with a thin phone, you lose room for internal components, like the battery. If it’s a thin phone that can’t get through a whole day that is on the table, I’ll pass.

OnePlus can’t coast if it wants to challenge Samsung for the foldable market in the West. Something I don’t want to see OnePlus do is make AI the big selling point for the upcoming folding phone. It could implement new features and have some fancy AI options sprinkled in, but this brand has built a reputation on killer hardware with top-notch internals. I don’t want OnePlus to lose that identity by pushing “next-gen” AI software features. This area could distract from focusing on what made the Open great.

For OnePlus, it’s OK to stay the course

Because its path has always been to push boundaries

While we crucify brands like Samsung and Apple for being iterative, it’s because brands like OnePlus make meaningful changes each year. When you are already the leader and so “innovative,” it can be challenging to make those changes. Even if the software and internals will be a wow factor, rehashing the same tired design year after year, the excuse not to offer new packaging for that stuff is sad.

Some may say that OnePlus is still playing catch up to these massive brands, but aside from cameras, which, with the OnePlus 13, don’t seem to be a compromise any longer, I don’t see much of a gap. By OnePlus staying the course it has been on, I expect small but meaningful changes in the hardware and a more mature software experience. Add the flagship cameras from the latest slab flagship to the next foldable along with the updates, and OnePlus could have the top traditional smartphone and the top folding phone of 2025.