Oppo aims to make foldable smartphones mainstream with the launch of Find N3 and Find N3 Flip

While foldable smartphones have been around since 2019, they have yet to achieve mainstream popularity with users.

Common gripes revolve around issues such as durability, a visible folding crease on the screen, reduced battery life and subpar camera performance.

However, Oppo is looking to change all of that with the launch of its flagship foldables, Find N3 and Find N3 Flip. The phones were unveiled at the global launch event held in Singapore yesterday, with a special appearance by ex-footballer Kaká, who is their global brand ambassador.

Here's a closer look at some of the promising features.

Find N3

Thickness: 5.8mm when open, 11.7mm when folded
Display size: 6.3" outer screen, 7.8" unfolded
Weight: 239g
Colours: Champagne Gold, Classic Black
Pricing: $2,399 for 512GB

PC-level productivity

Those who often work on-the-go would be excited to learn that Oppo's Find N3 will give you an experience that is equivalent to working on a PC.

The phone unfolds to a full 7.8-inch display with a Boundless View feature that facilitates multitasking, including meetings on the go. You can display two full-screen apps side by side or work with three full-screen apps, with the third one tucked away off-screen till you need to bring it back to view.

Need to see all three full-screen apps at once? No problem - just use a four-finger pinch to activate the 15-inch Boundless View, which doesn't just pull up the apps, but also allows you to interact with each of them.

There are also features like the Global Taskbar, App Library and File Pocket, which allows you to access your files and apps with lesser taps and toggling.

The Find N3 runs on Andriod 13 with ColorOS 13.2, and Oppo will be supporting it with four years of software updates as well as five years of security updates.

Improved display and durability

The Find N3 boasts impressive displays, with over 425 pixels per inch. It is also worth noting that the internal screen is nearly crease-free, allowing for a better viewing experience.

And don't be fooled by the phone's thinness (5.8mm unfolded) and lightness (239g). It has been tested by TUV Rheinland, an independent lab, to withstand up to 1 million folds!

Quick charging, longer battery life

With a large 4800mAh battery, the Find N3 is touted to last most users all day. Should you find yourself running low on battery, you'll be assured to know that a short 30-minute charge will be able to net you 80 per cent power, while a full charge will take 42 minutes.

Pro-grade camera

Courtesy of Swedish camera maker Hasselblad, Oppo has managed to fit the Find N3 with three pro-grade cameras with 14mm, 24mm and 70mm focal lengths. They are combined with Sony's Stacked Pixel Sensor technology, allowing for more details and less noise in your photos and videos - even in low light conditions.

With this, the Find N3 is primed to claim the crown for photography within the foldable smartphone realm, empowering users to capture cinematic portraits and breathtaking landscapes.

Find N3 Flip

Thickness: 7.79mm when open, 16.45mm when folded
Display size: 3.26" cover screen, 6.8" main screen
Weight: 198g
Colours: Sleek Black, Cream Gold, Misty Pink
Pricing: $1,499 for 256GB

See and do more with the cover display

When it comes to display for a clamshell-type foldable phone, Oppo's focus isn't on increasing the display size but rather, a seamless user experience.

So even though the Find N3 Flip might have a smaller display in comparison, its vertical format means that you get to see more notifications and content when you open your messages or apps. FYI, the cover screen supports over 80 third-party apps, such as Gmail, Telegram, X, WhatsApp and even Grab!

The orientation of the cover screen is also the same as the camera sensor, so you'll be able to capture photos with your Find N3's Flip folded with virtually no crop.

And here's a fun update: Oppo's interactive pets are now in 3D on the Find N3 Flip, and users will have more pets to choose from - including a Panda, Koala and Tiger.

Similar to the Find N3, the Find N3 Flip also features a near-creaseless appearance.

Triple camera and telephoto camera

The Find N3 Flip is no slouch in the photography department either, thanks to Oppo's teaming up with Hasselblad. There's a 50MP wide, 48MP ultra-wide and 32MP portrait camera with 2x optical zoom.

Combined with FlexForm Mode, the Find N3 Flip allows users to capture steady shots or self-portraits without the need for a tripod. We can see this being a huge plus point for content creators and Gen Zers.

Can Oppo make foldables mainstream?

Speaking to the press at the launch event yesterday, Oppo's Chief Marketing Officer of overseas markets Elvis Zhou acknowledged that the competition is fierce when it comes to foldables. However, Oppo is confident that its products would stand out in this crowded space thanks to its focus on design, innovation and user experience, adds Oppo's Apac President Andy Shi.

"We didn't create foldable smartphones just for the sake of it. We wanted to deliver a flagship experience," says Zhou.

"Our goal is to be the leading player in the foldable device market," he emphasises.

The Find N3 and Find N3 Flip are now available for pre-order.

sophie.hong@asiaone.com

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