OPINION: This week’s launch of the Oppo Find N2 Flip gives me hope that 2023 will be the year that foldable devices shed their hefty price tags and compromises and finally become mainstream.
Looking back over the past few years, Samsung has really dominated the gadget scene, not just in the UK but across most of the western world. Since 2019, the company has released updates to the big screen every year Galaxy Z Fold series and since 2020, he has done the same with his clamshell style The Galaxy Z Flip range.
But what about other smartphone manufacturers?
You have niche options from the likes of Huawei Mate Xs 2 for £1,800, although despite such a high price, the phone lacks access to Google Play and 5G connectivity due to ongoing restrictions in the US. The Chinese market is also overflowing with all sorts of sophisticated products, although, in fact, none of them ever leave China.
There’s also the Motorola Razr, which struggled with the entry-level 2019 model, lacking flagship-level specs despite being priced at $1,499 in the US, though that’s an improvement from £949 Motorola Razr (2022) which started at the end of last year.
Essentially, this means that, with the exception of the last few months, Samsung hasn’t been challenged in the west for four years, which means it can relax a bit when it comes to updating the core specs and lowering the price, because it doesn’t have there were reasons for this. Well, until now, that is.
It all started with the release of the upgraded Motorola Razr (2022), which fixed most of the complaints with the older 2019 variant, which came with a hefty price tag but mid-range components, including a Snapdragon 710 and a single 16-megapixel rear shooter. The new version is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, a 50MP main camera and a 13MP ultra-wide camera, and a much improved hinge mechanism compared to Samsung’s Z Flip 4.
Fast forward a couple of months and now we have one too Oppo Find N2 Flipwhich I believe will be a real game changer in the folding bed market in 2023.
The Find N2 Flip boasts a number of improvements over almost every other foldable device, including the relatively recently introduced Motorola Razr. This includes a 6.8-inch 120Hz AMOLED display with LTPO technology that seriously reduces creases caused by the complex form factor, a 4300mAh battery for all-day battery life, and a large bezel-less display.
In fact, I was so impressed with the complex that I awarded it four and a half stars in our review, as well as a Trusted Reviews Recommended Award.
If that wasn’t enough, the Find N2 Flip is also the cheapest of all the foldable devices available at the moment – £849, compared to £949 for the Motorola Razr and £999 for the Galaxy Z Flip 4, although both can be found a bit cheaper. depending on where you look.
It’s not the only sophisticated device being teased for a UK launch in the near future, with Honor teasing an MWC launch for Honor no cracks vs sophisticated.
All this means that not only will UK consumers finally have a wide range of foldable smartphones to choose from, but it should drive innovation – especially from Samsung, which has delivered relatively gradual updates to its foldable smartphones over the past few years.
Increased competition should also lead to lower prices. If you can buy a convertible for the same price as a flagship Samsung Galaxy S23you just can’t justify the £1,000+ price tags.
2023 is going to be an exciting year for sophisticated smartphones, both in terms of technology and greater affordability, and I can’t wait.
