I’ve written on this site about my experiences with the Oneplus Open. Shortly after I purchased mine, our EiC, Chris Spera, bought one as well. We both like the device a lot, but we’ve had some different experiences, both good and bad, that we want to share. Like most things, your experiences can vary quite a bit, and since OnePlus isn’t as well known here in the United States as, say, Samsung or Apple, we thought it would be helpful to talk about the device itself as well as some of the support we have received from the company. To tell this story, Chris and I will be taking turns sharing our experiences and a little of our conversations as we go along.
Our experiences started out almost exactly the same way – we both got the device, and both loved it right away. We both felt the settings setup and a few things were a little quirky, but not enough to take away from the overall pleasure of working with the device. The hardware is generally genuinely nice, with gorgeous, vibrant screens and a really great multitasking system. We spent a few weeks calling and texting each other with things like “Hey, did you notice this?” or “Did you try that?” or even “Does yours work this way too, or is it just me?” It was all the usual things you go through when you are learning the ins and outs of a new device. It’s a process I think we both have done many, many times, and it’s nice when you can bounce your thoughts off someone else.
But things aren’t always perfect in this industry.
I bought my phone from Best Buy as what they call “Open Box – Excellent.” Essentially that meant the device should have been like new (and it was). But I ran into a problem when I tried to buy the extended warranty from Oneplus. Apparently, the device had been activated before I got it. By the time I bought it, more than 30 days had passed, so Oneplus wouldn’t sell me a warranty. Note to self – when you are thinking about the cost savings of buying an “open box” item, make sure you understand its possible downsides as well. I have been fortunate, and my device has been flawless now for the time that I’ve had it (almost two months), but I always worry, and I wish I could buy coverage (despite the fact that OnePlus was adamant that I was beyond the time when I would be allowed to buy the coverage) – just in case, because sometimes that happens to people…
Yeah… Ok. I think that’s MY cue. This is Chris S. My input will all be in blue italics.
Thanks, Chris G., for setting the stage for me. Yes. You are quite right. Things can often vary from person to person, device to device, even when it’s the same device manufactured by the same company. My overall experience with the device thus far has been far from idyllic and rather different than yours.
Like Chris G., I REALLY like the OnePlus Open. I actually think it’s currently my favorite Android device in my gear bag. Well, when I actually HAVE the device IN my bag, that is. The device is currently sitting in the OnePlus repair depot in Dallas/Ft. Worth Texas, waiting on repair parts. I had the device for exactly 21 days before I had to box it up and send it in for repairs. As you can see from the movies below, half of the main screen started to get flakey. Sometimes it would work, as seen in the first video. Other times, it clearly would NOT, as seen in the second video. This happened out of nowhere one evening while playing Asphalt 9 on the device while sitting in bed. The device has not been dropped or abused in any way, has no water damage, and just started doing this out of nowhere.
| OnePlus Open with a discolored left LCD |
This is the day AFTER I started having issues with the screen. You can tell the device is really TRYING not to glitch.
| OnePlus Open with a glitchy left main screen |
This is the NEXT day. The left side of the main screen is clearly damaged. I’m not sure if it’s a connection, a broken/bad solder, or some other issue. Back to you, Chris G…
We talked about the initial problem he saw, but we both felt that although foldable can be a bit fragile, the issue was probably just a manufacturing flaw and should be easy to replace. In the meantime, I have been slowly moving applications and services to my OnePlus Open, and I find myself using it more and more.
I have a problem when people ask me, “What is your daily driver?” I don’t really have a single, daily driver. I am almost always using more than one device – every day. It’s more a matter of how much of my activity is on device A vs device B, and so on. In this case, device A is an iPhone 14 Pro Max. I’ve had iPhones for years, and I love the consistency in the way they work and interact with other Apple products, so I get a new one every 2 or 3 years. But now my B device is the OnePlus Open. I’ve been thrilled with the physical design and all the good things I’ve mentioned in my other postings here (maybe link to other articles here…). This device has been great for me. So when I say I am migrating apps and services, I mean my load balance on each device shifts a little bit.
Not me.
My daily driver is my iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, I can say that I am doing a heck of a lot more with my Android phones than I was even a year ago. With the OnePlus Open, I know that I would be using it a bit more than any of the other Android devices or foldables that I have. If I had it, that is…
Today, I use my iPhone as my primary digital tool for banking and financials as well as things like most 2FA/MFA type services (Two-factor Authentication and Multi-factor Authentication). But I use the OnePlus Open to play some games (I’m a big fan of SimCity BuildIt). I use it to read books using the Kindle app. And I use it for a lot of my web browsing. I’ve been taking pictures with both devices because they are both really good at certain things. I use both to play Apple Music, and I use both Apple Carplay and Android Autio when I am in the car, and I’m happy with both. I should also mention that I have been using BlueBubbles for messaging for months, so my experiences on my Android phones and iPhone are the same.
Same here, though I will also use my Androids for texting (via BlueBubbles since Beeper Mini bit the dust), email, and note-taking (for those foldables that work with a pen well), as well as the other things you mentioned.
Overall, the OnePlus Open has been solid and reliable for me, although, since it is a foldable, I will probably have to take extra care and “baby” it a bit more than my iPhone. But I am slowly using it more and more because I really love the foldable form factor, and OnePlus really nailed the multitasking features. But if Apple ever releases a foldable, then it might be a totally different game for me.
I agree.
A folding iPhone would be a game changer in the foldables arena. Despite the fact that I have a Fold 5 and a Flip 5 (the S24 Ultra arrives on 26-Jan-2024) as well as the Open (which is in repair – <grumble-grumble>), a competitively priced folding iPhone would be a huge player in the foldables market, IF Apple were ever to release one.
So after Chris S. called OnePlus and sent in his device, the waiting game began. After a bit of time had passed, I made the comment that maybe the issue was that they sold more units than expected, leading to shortages of some kind. Chris S was patient, but only for so long…
Oy.
This tale is NOT pretty, and to be honest, as of this writing, it has just recently been resolved. All of the contact I’ve had with OnePlus Support has either been through chat or email. According to their support website, my device has a process status of “Inspected.” After contacting them at least 3 times, I was finally told that the delay I am experiencing is due to OnePlus waiting on spare parts. There’s a bit of detail below, and I’ve included it to illustrate the amount of difficulty I had getting a clear understanding of what is happening with the repair of my device:
- 2023
- 12/05 – Device Arrives
- 12/23, late PM – The device screen starts to glitch while gaming in the late evening.
- 12/26 – Process Status: Service Requested.
I contacted OnePlus Support, let them know what’s going on with the device, and request service. - 12/27 – Process Status: Request is Confirmed.
RMA is approved by OnePlus Support, and a return label and instructions are received via email. I print the label and docs and box the item for repair - 12/28 – The box is dropped at the local UPS Store, 2nd Day Air
- 2024
- 01/03 – The device arrives at the repair depot and is checked in for service
- 01/05 – 01/19 – Process Status: Inspected
I have received no status updates or communication from OnePlus in two (2) weeks. I reach out to OnePlus Support via chat. The agent I speak with doesn’t have any updates or answers as to- What is going on with my device’s repair
- Why it’s been two (2) weeks without an update or status change. My support request has been forwarded to the Escalation Team.
- 01/20 – Escalation Response Received – I receive an email response from the Escalation Team. The repair is delayed due to a spare parts shortage. Please wait 2-3 business days for a repair status update. I am offered a $20 voucher to the OnePlus Store for my inconvenience.
- 01/20 – I reply to OnePlus Support with a series of questions, which included the following:
- Why wasn’t the complete repair status of my device fully and effectively communicated to me the three (3) prior times I reached out to OnePlus Support via online chat?
- When will replacement parts become available to fix my device & my repairs be completed?
- Why wasn’t I immediately offered a replacement device as part of my OnePlus Care benefit?
- 01/22 – Process Status: Inspected
I received a note from OnePlus Support indicating that spare parts are delayed an additional 2-3 weeks. I am reoffered the same $20 voucher to the OnePlus Store for my patience. I am also given the option to have my device returned to me – still broken – with any precharged repair cost refunded. - 01/24 – Process Status: Inspected
I replied back to OnePlus Support indicating that I want and need my OnePlus Open repaired. A broken device is no good to me. I thank everyone for their help and support. - 01/26 – Process Status: Repair Finished
I checked the status of my repair, not expecting any changes, and was surprised to see that at 3:50 pm this afternoon, my repair was marked completed, and the device was noted as ready for shipping. I received a notice from the OnePlus Escalation team informing me that the repairs are finished. They offered me a $50 coupon for the delay and inconvenience I’ve been through. - 1/30 – Process Status: Shipped Out to Customer
The device sat at the repair depot until late in the afternoon. OnePlus is shipping it back 2nd Day Air. Originally, it was due back to me on 1/30 between 1:30pm-5:30pm. Its now due back on 1/31 between 1:15pm-5:15pm.
So, as of this writing and time, I’m STILL waiting. NONE of my questions were ever answered. As of right now, I intend to give it a thorough once-over. I hope that they have included documentation on what the defect diagnosis was and what they did to repair it.
So, although OnePlus finally responded, and we know what’s going on, the point is that working with a company with a smaller footprint in the market can be a bit of a challenge, and its support is something you need to consider when you buy a new device. You never expect the worst, but it’s always good to plan for it as much as possible. Personally, I still recommend that people consider this device – OnePlus did not argue with Chris S. or deny support; it’s just taking a while, so while that is not ideal, we have certainly seen worse from bigger players! In my case, I wish they had given me the whole initial warranty period to decide to buy additional coverage – as most manufacturers do – but I also understand their policy and that I was outside the policy through no fault of anyone. I do think that Best Buy should have been more up-front about those types of things at the time of purchase, but it’s an easy miss.
I wonder if Best Buy knew about the policy that Chris G. is referring to to know enough to inform him of it. My guess is that they did not. However, Chris G.’s point about OnePlus miscalculating the success of the OnePlus Open and the company’s ability to appropriately respond to that success is on-point. I think what I’ve been experiencing is some very serious growing pains on OnePlus’ part. We will have an update on this in an additional article once my device is returned to me. I know that this likely has many people curious to see how it all ends and how the repaired device functions.
We hope this has been a helpful conversation. We will always recommend the things we like, but we won’t hide when things happen. It’s important that we share ALL sides of these things. Sharing our real-world experiences is why we like doing this, and hopefully, you enjoy it.
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