2026 is the perfect year for OnePlus to release another folding phone here's why

Date:
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:49:20 +0000

Description:
Its going to be an interesting year for folding phones heres why OnePlus should return to the phone industrys most exciting market.

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2026 will be a lot of things to a lot of people, but as TechRadars Staff Writer for all things mobile, for me its the year of the folding phone.

The events of the last 12 months have set the stage for a truly revolutionary year in the mobile industrys most exciting market. Samsung led the way, as per; the Galaxy Z Fold 7 expectations for book-style folding phones by taking the best bits of Chinese foldable design to a wider market, while the Galaxy
Z Trifold shot at the buzzer to capture headlines and headspace across the tech world.

Meanwhile, the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold fell flat, suggesting that users now expect a higher standard of design and innovation, while the aforementioned Chinese models like the Oppo Find N5 and Honor Magic V5 impressed by
pushing the limits of battery capacity and multitasking ability.

And theres no signs of things slowing down this year: as weve reported, Motorola is expected to reveal its first book-style folding phone at CES 2026 , joining the fray as the third globally-available folding phone brand after years of successful Razr flip phone models (alongside Samsung and Google).

But theres one name I keep thinking of when it comes to folding phones a
name that hasnt popped up in any credible rumors or leaks, and hasnt released a foldable of its own in years.

My question is this: where is the OnePlus Open 2? The OnePlus Open was something of a coup so where exactly is its follow-up? (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

The original OnePlus Open was (and is) an excellent folding phone that, at
the time of its release in 2023, pushed ahead of the competition in terms of design, battery life, and display capabilities. It was, perhaps, the first widely available folding phone that didnt feel like a compromise when used folded, as well as a beautifully built piece of kit (I could go on, but check out my full recap of daily driving the OnePlus Open for more).

OnePlus announced at the end of 2024 that the OnePlus Open 2 wouldnt be released in 2025. In a stroke of bad luck, this turned out to be a phenomenal year for folding phone development, leaving the original OnePlus Open (which is still on sale from OnePlus directly) feeling even more outdated than you might expect.

However, I dont think its too late for this Chinese challenger brand to hop back into the folding phone ring. In fact, I think 2026 could be the perfect moment for OnePlus to release the OnePlus Open 2.

Let me explain. While OnePlus has taken a back seat when it comes to folding phones, its not slowed down its phone development overall. Our OnePlus 15 review came in with a five-star rating an extremely rare score for an extremely powerful phone, and in every aspect from battery life to hardware performance, the companys latest flagship just oozes excellence. The OnePlus 15 is the first five-star phone in more than a year, and shows that the brand is as serious as ever about hardware and design. (Image credit: Philip Berne
/ Future)

With its current slab flagship impressing even more than usual and the original OnePlus Open offering a template for boundary-pushing design, I have quite a lot of faith in OnePlus to put together a great next-gen folding phone. Theres also the excellent Oppo Find N5 waiting in the wings as a possible source of inspiration; the two brands, both owned by BBK
Electronics, share a lot of hardware, and the first-gen OnePlus Open was clearly based on the Oppo Find N3 .

So, theres a pathway to folding phone greatness for OnePlus. But should the company take it?

In my opinion, yes. Despite the folding phone calendar for 2026 already looking busy, I think it makes a lot of sense for OnePlus to step back in at this moment, and it all comes down to pricing.

With the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 grazing the $2,000 price point and the
Galaxy Z Trifold likely to approach or even exceed $3,000, price is going to be at the front of a lot of folding phone buyers minds this year. Component prices are going up due to surging AI demand, so I wouldnt rule out some kind of price hike for the rumored Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold either. Motorola is rumored to expand on its Razr flip phones with a book-style foldable this year, which could broaden buyer's horizons. (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

In keeping with pattern set by the Razr line of flip smartphones, Id expect Motorolas rumored book-style folding phone to undercut the big brands by some margin. However, like Honor and Oppo, the lower price point is somewhat
offset by a lack of clout, and I for one have never been stunned by the build quality of Razr handsets, so my excitement for Motorolas offering is a little limited.

In comparison, OnePlus has a reputation for both premium products and great value for money a speculative OnePlus Open 2 priced at, say $1,699 / 1,699 / AU$2,449, and sporting the OnePlus 15s design language with a thin frame, a large silicon-carbon battery, and a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset would pose a serious challenge to Samsung and Google.

And if Motorola joins the scene, prospective customers would be primed to consider new competitors and question Samsungs dominance in the folding phone world. OnePlus can make the most of this while outclassing its competition on hardware power and value.

At any rate, Ive got no doubt that the hypothetical OnePlus Open 2 would join our list of the best folding phones , where its predecessor still holds down the title of best bargain folding phone .

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/oneplus-phones/2026-is-the-perfect-year-for-o neplus-to-release-another-folding-phone-heres-why


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