Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority
TL;DR
- OPPO developed multiple tri-fold prototype phones but ultimately chose not to release them.
- A company official confirmed their existence via Weibo and stated that they still have these units in their drawer.
- Rising costs and low market feasibility may have deterred brands like OPPO despite Samsung and HUAWEI’s push.
Foldables are set to be all the rage this year. While the upcoming iPhone Fold receives some credit, Samsung also deserves recognition for commercially launching the Galaxy Z TriFold, which is expected to make its way to the US soon. HUAWEI also gets credit for pioneering the tri-fold with the HUAWEI Mate XT, but other Android OEMs have so far been conspicuously absent from the tri-fold race. As it turns out, one brand did experiment with a tri-fold, but ultimately decided against releasing it.
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OPPO Product Manager Zhou Yibao shared in a comment to their Weibo post that OPPO has experimented with tri-folds. The company made several prototypes, and Mr. Yibao still has these prototypes in their drawer. However, the company decided not to make them anymore.
The reason for OPPO’s absence from the tri-fold market has not been revealed, but now we know that the company has attempted to, at least. Given how nascent tri-folds are and that even Samsung is reportedly losing money on the $2,400 Galaxy Z TriFold, it makes sense that other Android brands would be hesitant to enter this market.
We hope that renewed interest in foldables will bring the spark (and economic feasibility) that will encourage these brands also to create tri-fold designs, thereby helping to improve the market with additional competition.
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