OnePlus will launch its first foldable smartphone later this year

OnePlus is having quite an eventful Mobile World Congress. In addition to revealing its latest experimental phone that it envisions to have liquid cooling capabilities, the company has also announced that it will be launching its first foldable smartphone in the second half of 2023. With this revelation, OnePlus has confirmed previous rumors that it's working on a foldable device similar to Samsung's offerings. The company teased a mysterious Q3 2023 launch with what seemed to be silhouettes of devices that fold in the background at the OnePlus 11 event earlier this month, but it fell short of saying what exactly it would be releasing.

Despite its confirmation, OnePlus remains tight-lipped on what a foldable device from the company would entail. XDA Developers reported in January that it found two trademark listings with the China National Intellectual Property Administration for a OnePlus V Fold and a OnePlus V Flip. In today's announcement, OnePlus only talks about one smartphone, so it's unclear if it's actually developing two at the moment. All Kinder Liu, President and COO of OnePlus, had to say at the event was:

"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."

The company promised to release more details about its foldable device in the coming months. Aside from that, it also shared its plans to build a more cohesive ecosystem within the next three to five years. It said the ecosystem will enable OnePlus to provide seamless connection across its phones, tablets, wearables and internet-of-things devices.