Based on all the leaks and Google’s own marketing, we already know that the upcoming Pixel 9 Pro Fold will have a very similar design to last year’s OnePlus Open. OnePlus isn’t ready to launch a new foldable phone to rival the latest offerings from Google and Samsung, so for now it’s just releasing a crimson Open limited edition. It’s a way to squeeze more juice out of something, right?
The OnePlus Open Apex Edition costs $1,899.99 and comes with 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM. In addition to the color, the company has made some other very minor hardware tweaks to this version: the alert slider switch is thinner, for example, and has an orange splash engraved in the middle.
OnePlus’ press release describes the “Crimson Shade” color like this: “The darker, almost veiled hue provides a sense of mystery and evocation, suggesting a lasting eternity.” Red is used on the faux leather back cover and camera ring, and OnePlus includes a protective case in the box that matches the device.
I’ve been wandering around New York City with the Apex Edition for a few days and got a lot of questions about it. It’s beautiful, and it’s the first time I’m familiar with the Open’s design after using the Pixel Fold for a few months. spoiler: That’s itI’m now very happy that Google is moving to a similar approach.
Damn, this company really came up with a great multi-tasking system. Alison covers a lot of ground in her review, so check it out. All in all, OnePlus’ gestures and multi-app experience feel very intuitive in a short amount of time.
But there’s also something about OnePlus’ software that confuses me. Here are some:
- You can only have four apps per row on the home screen, which really messes up my usual layout. Where are my grid customization options? I can’t even put Gmail in the dock.
- The Google Discover Feed on the left side of the home screen cannot be deactivated. Strange. Most other Android phones can turn this feature off with a simple toggle.
- Whenever you close all apps (yes, I still do that), the phone displays a useless “Your system is now at its best” message. great. Thanks.
- The alphabetical order of the application tray is meaningless. Since the “craigslist” app uses lowercase letters, it comes before the calculator. Make it meaningful.
- Just like on iOS, OnePlus adds a dot next to recently updated or newly installed apps. This drives me crazy and won’t close, so I have no choice but to open every app just to clear the points and restore order.
A new software feature called VIP Mode is exclusive to the Apex version. I have to say, this feels pretty solid. You will enter this mode when you push the alarm slider to the top position. Here are the features OnePlus claims:
VIP mode locks down the security chip, creating a completely secure and private environment where all microphones and cameras on the phone are disabled, and ad tracking is strictly limited through chip-level permission encryption supported by the security chip. VIP mode also prevents unauthorized applications from viewing or recording chat information.
I’m not a hotshot CEO, so maybe I don’t have the right understanding of the VIP model. Either way, I’m hoping that when I put the alert slider in this position, I can customize the alert slider to do other things instead of being stuck in this mode that I rarely need.
But back to the hardware: Within a few days I came to like many of the OnePlus Open’s features. The screen protector for the internal display has anti-reflective properties for easy viewing in a variety of lighting conditions. The speakers sound noticeably better than those on the Pixel Fold. Once again, I was impressed with OnePlus’ proprietary wired charging speeds.
The OnePlus Open Apex Edition will be available for sale on August 8 for $1,899.99 “while supplies last.” If you don’t need the fancy red color, you can save some money for now and buy the standard model with 512GB of storage, which will be on sale from August 8 to 30 for $1,399. look? It’s clear that the company is trying to attract some Pixel 9 Pro Fold buyers.
Photography: Chris Welch/The Verge
