OnePlus trolls Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event with half-off sale

Update, Aug 11 (11:00 a.m. ET): "Mysterious" OnePlus device revealed as a joke.

What you need to know

• OnePlus teased a dual-screen device ahead of Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked.
• The teaser appeared to show some sort of dual-screen phone.
• It's unclear whether the teaser is real or if the company plans to launch some sort of smartphone or accessory on August 11.

OnePlus has something up its sleeve. Ahead of Samsung's foldable-focused Galaxy Unpacked event tomorrow, OnePlus has taken to its social media to tease what looks like a dual-screen device.

At first glance, it appears as if OnePlus could be preparing to launch a foldable to challenge the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, but a closer look will show that the device appears to have a gap in the middle. Thus, we're probably looking at two smartphones or at least a dual-screen device.

Assuming the device is real, it doesn't appear to be anything akin to the Microsoft Surface Duo, which has very little space between the two displays. In fact, it looks more like OnePlus' take on LG phones like the LG Velvet, which launched with a separate dual-screen accessory. That could point to an accessory launch instead of a full-on dual-screen smartphone, but we'll have to wait and see at tomorrow's launch.

Of course, the other, more obvious option is that it's just a joke to tease Samsung and take some of the attention away from its foldable launch. The "phone" shows a galaxy-themed background, and the OnePlus "launch" is set for August 11 at 10 a.m. ET, the same time as Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event. Regardless of what it is, we've reached out to find out what it is that OnePlus is planning, but a representative declined to comment.

Update, Aug 11 (11:00 a.m. ET) ― OnePlus trolls Samsung

It looks like the mysterious teaser was actually just a joke and a fairly clever way to advertise a half-off Sale for the OnePlus 9 series. It's not all that surprising since there's been no previous indication that OnePlus has been gearing up for a foldable or dual-screen device. Still, it's a fun way to troll one of its biggest competitors while highlighting its own products.

Meanwhile, don't forget to check out our hands-on coverage of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3.