OnePlus not working on foldable handsets: Report

Image Source: forums.oneplus.com

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau recently confirmed that the company would not be working on a foldable handset. Lau confirmed the news while speaking to students at a European Design Institute in Milan, Italy.

The news comes as no surprise as the technology for foldable smartphones is still in its infancy. According to Lau, folding handsets don’t do anything notably different from regular smartphones. And, while these handsets are a decent piece of innovation, the technology used isn’t any different from a conventional smartphone. It is just a tad bit gimmicky. The folding smartphone still has a long way to go before becoming a revolutionary product for communication and entertainment.

Rather than working on a foldable smartphone, OnePlus is focusing its effort on building a smart television with smart controls without the use of a conventional remote. Rumours of a OnePlus TV have been doing the rounds since 2018, and it looks like the company is more focused on entering the smart TV space to bring a quality television which is reasonably priced and offers innovative new smart features.

Since its inception into the Smartphone space, OnePlus has established a solid image as a market disrupter. And, the company seems hell-bent on bringing the same disruptive approach to the smart TV market. However, now that brands like LG and Samsung are targeting the affordable smart TV market, OnePlus will face particularly tough competition.

According to Italian publication, Repubblica, Lau hinted at a super virtual assistant enabled by 5G for the automotive market. OnePlus is also interested in building products for offices that leverage cloud, AI and 5G. Although Lau couldn’t confirm or provide details about any of the company’s new plans or strategies, it is safe to assume that OnePlus is looking beyond the smartphone space.