Time.news – The battle of the leaflets seems to have really begun, finally. It is still a skirmish in an overall market – that of smartphones – of which it occupies just 1%, but it is a significant clash because in fact it is the only segment in which the manufacturers make real innovation.
In a world where for years the flagships battle each other by always focusing on the same elements – camera quality and reload speed above all – leaflets are currently the only new frontier.
If we exclude a half-hearted appearance by Motorola, until now it has been an exclusive pasture of Samsung for both folds (those that fold like a book) and flips (with a clamshell closure), but now, after three years of research and four prototypes, a determined contender arrives: the Chinese house Oppo.
The Find N2 Flip presented in London is the first real attempt to undermine the unchallenged domination of the Koreans, after the one started by Huawei in early 2020 and crushed by the US ban. But is so much effort in an audience that in Italy has about 100,000 pieces worth the effort? According to Isabella Lazzini, head of marketing for Oppo Italia, yes, especially for a question of placement. “Ours is a message of innovation in a market that is still young but with strong trends that make us predict global growth from 12 million pieces today to 18 million in 2026”.
The sales targets, although not declared, are realistic: it will not be the Flip that will make Oppo make large numbers in Italy – where it occupies about 5% of the market – but the idea is to create an aura around the brand that makes it recognizable above all for its innovation.
“Today Italy is contributing to projects related to the N2 both on a global and European scale” continues Lazzini and it is in this context that the partnership, announced precisely in London, with the Queeboo design brand that theChinese home will bring to Milan Fashion Week.
The decision to bring a flip to Italy, even if Oppo has a fold on the Chinese market, winks at the female audience, but also to a different use of the smartphone. The large front screen, visible when the Flip is closed, allows you to access notifications and key information without having to open it. The result could be more conscious use, with fewer distractions. But it is also a sign of the times: 70% of leaflets sold worldwide are flips.
However, focusing on leaflets is also an economic necessity for companies: betting on flagships at a time when the market is contracting in terms of items sold, but growing in value because sales are increasing in the over 800 euro range.
How the N2 Flip is made
Let’s start with two key elements: displays and charging. With its 3.26 inches, the external display allows you to take selfies, check up to 6 notifications, record a voice note, answer a call without opening the smartphone.
FlexForm mode allows you to use the 6.8-inch E6 AMOLED semi-folded display between 45 and 110 degrees and transform your smartphone into a camera with tripod. The 4,300 mAh battery is accompanied by a supervooc flash recharge and the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ processor with Sony IMX890 sensor camera system.
How many times can it be opened?
The Find N2 Flip weighs 191g and has a thickness of 7.45mm. The Flexion Hinge hinge mechanism has no gaps protecting the internal display from dust and impurities and is TÜV Rheineland certified for withstand over 400,000 bends at room temperature. This is equivalent to opening and closing the smartphone about 100 times a day for more than ten years and up to 100,000 times at 50 degrees with 95% humidity, and at -20.
It is available in Astral Black and Moonlit Purple colors for 1,200 Euros.