Earlier this month, OPPO was rumored to be working on a clamshell foldable smartphone that would rival Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip product line. Although the official has not disclosed more details, Mukul Sharma, a well-known whistleblower, recently revealed that OPPO has started internal testing in many places in Europe and Asia. If all goes well, the company’s first clamshell folding screen smartphone is expected to be officially released in 2022.
[Exclusive] Internal testing of OPPO’s upcoming foldable and upcoming flip phone has begun in various Eurasian and European regions. We can expect the launch to happen later this year.#OPPO
— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) May 30, 2022
In addition to the flip-top folding screen smartphone, OPPO is also said to be testing another foldable device internally, which is speculated to be the successor to the OPPO Find N 5G. As for whether the two devices will be released at the same time, it is currently unknown.
In addition, if OPPO is not satisfied with the internal test results, for the time being, it will not rule out further delays in the release and launch of new products. (The fabled Google Pixel Fold also seems to be having some trouble)
In any case, the upcoming new OPPO clamshell folding screen is still expected to bring a more attractive pricing strategy than Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3, and the hardware will not be too compromised (it is even expected to be equipped with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ chipset).
Neowin speculates that this device may sell for 756 US dollars/718 euros. For reference, the Galaxy Z Flip3 is priced at $1119/€1063.