The OnePlus Open uses titanium, but not where we think

The word titanium has made its way into the marketing material of smartphone brands lately through the hands of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Although titanium isn’t an innovation by any means, it wasn’t on the hype in this industry before Apple launched its latest iPhone this year.

OnePlus has recently launched its first book-style foldable with some premium materials inside – titanium and carbon fiber. A recent teardown of the OnePlus Open by Zack Nelson provides detailed insight into the device’s internal components, shedding light on the way OnePlus has enhanced the durability of the said product. While OnePlus marketed the hinge as a significant innovation contributing to the foldable phone’s durability, the teardown unravels a slightly different story.

One highlighted aspect of the OnePlus Open was its hinge design, borrowed and refined from Oppo. OnePlus claimed to have used titanium in the hinge construction to reduce weight while maintaining strength. However, the teardown reveals that titanium is not as extensively utilized as implied in the marketing.

The OnePlus Open uses titanium screws holding all the 69 hinge components together

The hinge, when exposed during the teardown, shows that OnePlus indeed incorporates titanium. However, it uses the material only for the hinge screws, not in the broader hinge construction itself. While titanium is known for its durability and lightweight nature, its application in the screws barely contributes to the overall robustness of the device.

However, the carbon fiber back plate under the foldable display panel appears to be doing its job. It sheds the weight while providing structural support to the panel. Although he also showed the black spots on the foldable panel. The dust particles that managed to get inside the hinge components might have damaged the display.

It becomes evident that OnePlus strategically employs titanium in select areas, leveraging it for the hinge screws rather than the entire hinge structure. Nonetheless, the OnePlus Open has proved its strength in durability testing.

In conclusion, the OnePlus Open teardown reveals that titanium is indeed present inside the phone. But its role is more about marketing allure than a substantial contribution to it’s structural integrity.