Oppo already has a foldable phone, the Find N, which is limited to China. Now, rumours suggest that the company could be working on a clamshell design that would not only bring a flip-style device to the catalogue, but also at a more affordable price than its expensive stablemate.
Design and Display
While leaks or renders haven’t appeared, it’s rumoured to be a flip phone like the Moto Razr, Huawei P50 Pocket, and Galaxy Z Flip 3. It’ll have a small, flexible screen that folds into a palm-sized clamshell.
We expect the front cover to have the major cameras and a tiny secondary display, but their shapes are uncertain. If it’s part of the Find series, the camera unit should have the Find N’s seamless, ramping design.
No exact size or resolution of the internal display has been released, although it will reportedly offer 120Hz refresh rates, like most recent flagship phones. This should be easy and quick.
The same story that first suggested the ‘Dragonfly’ code-name claims the flip phone will be tiny and light, with a revolutionary hinge construction for folding.
Price and Availability
The flip phone sibling will reportedly be cheaper than its competitors, like the Find N was. Digital Chat Station (via Notebookcheck) claims the phone will cost 5,000 Yuan in China, or $750 or £620. According to a rumour, this will cost $1060/£880 internationally.
First rumours stated Oppo would debut the phone this summer, but we haven’t seen any physical leaks or renders, which either means the phone is far from launch or Oppo is keeping it secret well. This phone and the Find N’s successor were reportedly the company’s upcoming phones.
Specs
How the Oppo Flip will be outfitted remains a mystery. According to rumours, the processor will be Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in 2022. Aside from that, we only know that the screen will fold horizontally, not vertically as with most flip formats.
If it wants to beat the Huawei P50 Pocket, the Oppo flip will need high-end hardware. This device features:
- 6.9″ HD+ (27901188) foldable 120Hz OLED
- 1.04in (340340) 60Hz OLED cover
- 8/12GB RAM 256/512GB internal storage Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G octa-core
- 40Mp, f/1.8 main + 13Mp, f/2.2 ultra-wide + 32Mp, f/1.8 ultra spectrum
- 10.7MP/f/2.2 selfie camera
Due to US sanctions, Huawei lacks 5G and Google apps. However, Oppo would gain ground by avoiding these constraints.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 is rumoured to arrive in August 2022 with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 engine, 8GB memory, 128/512GB storage, and outstanding cameras. The Oppo Flip (if that’s what it’s called) will have to work hard to win. We’ll soon see what both provide.