- Oppo is purportedly testing a clamshell foldable phone.
- The device is said to have a 7-inch main screen and a 2-inch external display.
Samsung and Motorola were the first brands to offer clamshell foldable phones, offering a large smartphone screen that folds up to easily fit in your pocket. We haven’t seen any other manufacturers launch rival devices, but it looks like Oppo might be next in line.
Weibo tipster Arsenal (h/t: PlayfulDroid) claims that the Chinese manufacturer is testing a foldable phone that features a 7-inch main screen when unfolded. They add that the device has a 2-inch external screen when closed. This would be larger than the Galaxy Z Flip’s 1.1-inch external screen but smaller than the Razr 5G’s 2.7-inch secondary panel.
The leaker also alleges that Oppo is offering an LTPO screen (presumably for the main display). Phones with LTPO screens are able to offer high refresh rates with better battery efficiency compared to phones without this tech. We’ve also seen LTPO-equipped phones such as the Oppo Find X3 Pro drop down to as low as 1Hz when viewing images, saving more juice in the process.
There’s no word from Arsenal regarding a possible launch window or if this will actually see a commercial release. Nevertheless, we’d like to see more competition in the clamshell foldable space, especially as we see more Galaxy Z Fold rivals from the likes of Huawei and Xiaomi.
For what it’s worth, the leaker seems to have a solid track record. They accurately posted the Oppo Find X3 series launch date and previously reported Vivo S9e specs prior to its launch.
