Currently, foldable phones are the form factor that most device manufacturers seem to be working on. From big brands like Samsung to smaller players like Oppo, everyone's got a folding smartphone available. Joining the pack is OnePlus, having announced at foldable smartphone for the latter half of 2023 at MWC 2023.

Here, we look at OnePlus' announcement, and what we could expect from its debut foldable smartphone.

OnePlus Announces Foldable Coming Later in 2023 at MWC 2023

At MWC 2023, OnePlus announced that it will release its debut foldable smartphone in the second half of 2023. This was part of an event at the tech exhibition, dubbed "From Fast & Smooth to Beyond", where the brand also spoke about its software and commitment to building out an ecosystem of devices.

OnePlus recognized that it learns from its community, and uses this knowledge in its goal of releasing flagship devices. Given how popular foldable phones currently are (despite not quite becoming mainstream yet), we have no doubt that OnePlus took some feedback directly from its users for this upcoming smartphone.

What to Expect From OnePlus' Debut Foldable Smartphone

So far, there isn't too much that OnePlus has revealed about its upcoming foldable. Though the brand did speak to its expectations on the device:

Our first foldable phone will have the signature OnePlus fast and smooth experience. It must be a flagship phone that doesn't settle because of its folding form, in terms of industrial design, mechanical technology, and other aspects. We want to launch a device that aims to be at the pinnacle experience of today’s foldable market.

Considering Oppo and OnePlus' partnership, we could expect a foldable similar to the Oppo Find N2 or Find N2 Flip. It's not clear if OnePlus will opt for a clamshell style device, or the more traditional book-like smartphone. Foldable smartphone cover displays are getting bigger, so we'd expect OnePlus to jump on this trend as well.

Oppo Find N2 being held in woman's hand
Image Credit: Oppo

But how about specs? Oppo's Find N2 devices feature folding AMOLED displays, with 120Hz refresh rates and support for HDR10+. They pack the latest Snapdragon 8 chipsets, and rock batteries above 4,000mAh. You'll also find triple camera systems on the rear, and support for 4K video. We'd expect similar specs from OnePlus' debut foldable.

OnePlus Is Pulling Out All the Stops at MWC 2023

OnePlus's foldable announcement is certainly exciting. The brand is continuing to work on more devices to reach extra customers. It's particularly interesting to see this commitment while the OnePlus 11 range dropped the regularly scheduled pro and budget models from the line-up.

This isn't OnePlus' first announcement from MWC 2023 either, with a concept phone with an illuminated cooling system on the rear. And there are plenty of other interesting gadgets from the Mobile World Congress to check out.