If you wanted to order a top-of-the-line OnePlus Open, there’s now a new Apex version that includes 1TB of storage, a VIP mode and a new crimson leatherette backing.
The first new change I noticed when I got the phone in my hand was that OnePlus has tweaked the Alert Slider so it now has an orange accent. It looks nice, but it also comes with a new ‘VIP mode’ software feature that restricts your phone’s camera and microphone when enabled. OnePlus says this mode also limits advertising trackers through some kind of chip-level encryption.
It works as advertised, as far as I can tell. However, it is a bit annoying that it’s also tied to putting the phone in silent mode. I often keep my devices muted completely, so switching out of VIP mode to use the camera is annoying. You can disable vibration on the middle point of the alert slider, making it act as ‘Silent,’ but then you lose the vibration mode. Ideally, OnePlus can give users a bit more control over this slider in a future update to give less privacy-minded users the ability to have it work the same on older OnePlus devices.
Overall, I’ve been using this device for a few days, and it is hard to get over how fun foldable phones can be. As readers of my work lately likely know, I’ve been pretty obsessed with Pokémon this year and being able to unfold a phone into the perfect DS shape never gets old.
Beyond that, returning to this phone six months after its launch, I’m still blown away by how good the screens and cameras are. Even in low light, the camera can take striking images, and the zoom quality and range are really fun to play with.
Beyond the DS emulator Drastic, managing files, and watching videos, I still rarely find myself unfolding this phone, which still begs the question of whether foldable phones are for me. Sure, you get a big screen, but I’m still not sure if the heavier phone in my pocket justifies it. For most of what I want to do, a standard slab phone is smaller and works just as well.
That being said, Dean Daley on the MobileSyrup team is a big fan of folding phones and likes using his to read manga on the go.
The phone is slated to cost $2,599 in Canada. The base model Open starts at $2,299.
MobileSyrup may earn a commission from purchases made via our links, which helps fund the journalism we provide free on our website. These links do not influence our editorial content. Support us here.
