The OnePlus Open debuted to much fanfare at the end of 2023, and while it is getting a bit old, it continues to be one of the best foldables available today. A lot of that is down to the hardware; the Open has a gorgeous design, smooth hinge with no visible crease, excellent internal hardware, a larger battery than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, 67W charging, and terrific cameras.
While there were software issues out of the box, these have been addressed with subsequent updates. With the Open gaining decent momentum, it's now time to take a look at what the Open 2 could bring to the table. With the foldable slated to debut in Q1 2025, we don't have to wait long to see what's in store, and recent leaks have given us a good indication around the hardware changes. So let's take a look at the possible hardware and design changes coming to the device, and what I want to see in the Open 2.
OnePlus Open 2: Design
OnePlus designed the Open in collaboration with OPPO, and that's evident when viewing the device next to the Find N2. In fact, the Find N3 is identical to the Open, with the only difference being that it is limited to China, whereas the Open is sold in global markets.
As such, it is unlikely we'll see any major design change with the Open 2. While OPPO likes to switch up the design of its Find X devices — the Find X7 Ultra and Find X8 Pro have distinct designs that stand out — it has maintained the same styling to all of its foldables, and that isn't likely to change.
In fact, design leaks have confirmed that the Open 2 will have the same overall design as its predecessor, including a rounded camera island at the back.
What could be different is a new hinge that is even lighter than the previous generation. Honor has the distinction of the thinnest foldable in the Magic V3, and as this is a key area of contention between all the Chinese manufacturers, it is entirely likely the Open 2 will feature a redesigned hinge. In fact, recent leaks point to the fact that the Open 2's hinge will be lighter and sturdier, and it will be interesting to see if it ends up being thinner than the Magic V3.
OnePlus Open 2: Specs
The OnePlus Open has an outstanding hardware package, and that is set to continue with the Open 2. The upcoming foldable will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and it should come with a 6.4-inch outer panel and a bigger 8-inch inner screen, with both offering 120Hz refresh and OLED tech.
OnePlus isn't messing with battery tech on most of its devices, and while it has 150W charging available, it isn't usable in North America, so for devices that are launching globally, it is limiting the charging potential to 100W or 67W. What I like is that the device should get wireless charging, addressing a pain point on the previous model.
The Open 2 is likely to include a larger battery that lasts noticeably longer. There hasn't been any confirmation about the battery size, but OnePlus is said to offer up to a 5,900mAh battery on the foldable. What I like is that the battery uses silicon-carbide tech, just like the Magic V3.
Leaks also point to a model with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, but like the previous model, the base verison should get 512GB of storage as standard. The rest of the hardware is likely to be unchanged, but I'll update this post once we have credible details.
OnePlus Open 2: Cameras
OnePlus did all the right things when it comes to the Open cameras, with the foldable offering a fabulous set of lenses at the back. With 2025 phones pushing the boundaries of camera tech — the Vivo X200 Pro and Find X8 Pro all have sizeable gains — the upcoming foldable should have some of these gains baked in.
Then again, considering the launch window of the Open 2, it could be a while before we know what camera hardware the device is packing to any reasonable degree. What you need to know at this point is that the cameras should be on the same level as the OnePlus 13, and that's a terrific starting point.
OnePlus Open 2: Release date
OnePlus usually likes to have a major release in Q4, but it may be doing things a bit differently with the Open 2. While an earlier launch positions the Open 2 against the likes of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, OnePlus is launching the foldable in Q1 2025 instead.
That's an interesting move, and it means the Open 2 will debut after the OnePlus 13. Of course, this is just conjecture at this point, and we don't know when the foldable is launching. That said, the number of leaks has increased considerably in recent weeks, pointing to an imminent launch.
OnePlus Open 2: What I want to see
OnePlus needs to add wireless charging
I don't know who signed off on not including wireless charging on the OnePlus Open, but it is the biggest limitation on the device. Sure, the phone was designed in conjunction with OPPO, and the Chinese manufacturer doesn't offer wireless charging on its own devices — so you don't get one here.
However, the Open is sold in a lot of global markets, and with OnePlus positioning it as the ideal alternative to Samsung in North America, it needed to nail the table stakes features. While the battery life itself is much better than Samsung's foldables, the fact that it is limited to wired charging — no matter how fast — makes it a little less enticing.
With the Open 2, OnePlus has to rectify this particular issue and offer wireless charging out of the box. While it's okay for a device like the OnePlus 11 to miss out on it, the Open costs nearly thrice as much at $1,699, and not having the ability to charge wirelessly is a shortsighted move.
Polished software out of the box
This is a regular complaint with all OnePlus phones, but I want to see better software out of the box with the Open 2, not a few months down the line. Yes, the ColorOS integration made things that much more difficult, but it's been three years now, and that cannot be the excuse to deliver shoddy software on every new phone.
OnePlus has shown that it can deliver; the OnePlus 12 was devoid of any major bugs, and it was optimized for the hardware. I know achieving the same on a foldable is twice as hard as there are two screens to deal with and numerous scaling issues, but the Open 2 has to do better. And while we're at it, can I get a 5x5 grid? I still don't understand why that isn't available on the Open.
IP68 water resistance
The OnePlus Open has IPX4 water resistance, and that means that it can withstand an occasional splash of water. OnePlus says that the hinge automatically ejects any dust that manages to get in, and even though it isn't tested, it should do a decent job with any dust ingress as well.
That said, I'd like to see IP68 water resistance on the Open 2. That would make the foldable that much more resilient to the elements, and bring it to parity with Samsung's latest foldables. Recent leaks point to IPX8 resistance on the upcoming device, and that should make it hold up better against the best foldables.
Stylus integration would be nice to have
This is another one of those features that feels motivated by OPPO. As the brand doesn't pay particular attention to global markets, adding stylus integration wasn't a priority, and the Open misses out on it. I'm not saying the foldable should have come with a stylus in the box — even Samsung isn't that generous — but the ability to use a stylus with the inner screen makes the foldable that much more useful.
Even if OnePlus decides it doesn't want to bother making its own stylus, there are plenty of aftermarket styli that do a great job with note-taking and doodling. I have a half-dozen styli in the house, and while I don't really use them as much as I should, having the option to do so on the Open 2 would go a long way.
The OnePlus Open is one of the best foldables you can buy today. It has terrific hardware combined with stellar cameras, the best hinge in this category, and standout battery life.
