With the Oppo Find N3, fast-charging could soon be a reality for foldable smartphones

The foldable smartphone industry is about to make a leap in fast charging that puts it on par with non-foldable devices.

Despite their improvements, one obstacle has remained constant for foldable phone manufacturers: Foldable phones have not caught up to the fast-charging capabilities of their normal smartphone counterparts. At least, not yet. But this all could be changing. (Representative Photo) (Shaurya Tomer/HT Tech)

The foldable smartphone segment has seen significant advances in recent years. Using Samsung's most recent launch as an example, users should be impressed with the breakthrough hinge technology that allows both the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 to fold completely without any noticeable gaps.

Other notable advances in foldable smartphones include larger screens, more powerful performance, and better cameras.

Despite their improvements, one obstacle has remained constant for foldable phone manufacturers: Foldable phones have not caught up to the fast-charging capabilities of their normal smartphone counterparts. At least, not yet. But this all could be changing.

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Oppo to bring powerful fast charging to foldables

Chinese consumer tech firm Oppo is reportedly working on a new foldable device, the Oppo Find N3, that has the potential to revolutionize fast charging for the foldable segment.

A document leaked on the web claims that the new foldable phone can support fast charging of 100W, something the market hasn't seen before.

Fast charging is a battery charging protocol in which manufacturers manipulate voltage (V) or amperage (A) in the charging device to speed up charging times. (1W = 1V x 1A).

In the non-foldable smartphone market it's no secret that many Android device manufacturers have pushed the envelope with their fast-charging capabilities. From 25W, to 100W, even some brands achieve up to 240W of charging power. Unfortunately, foldables are still far from this capacity.

The Oppo Find N3, however, could be a game-changer. According to the regulatory control document, which was published by Digital Chat Station on Weibo, Oppo has everything ready to integrate a 100W wired charging system in the Oppo Find N3.

This would be a significant leap from the Oppo Find N2, which had a fast charging capacity of 67W, which of course is nothing to sneeze at for a foldable.

In addition to 100W fast charging, the Oppo Find N3 could arrive with 4,805 milliamp hours (mAh) of battery and possible wireless charging support, a triple camera system and could offer up to 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage.

There has been no official confirmation about the device's launch, nor its exact specifications, but rumors circulating online anticipate that Oppo could announce the new foldable phone as soon as August.

Sergio Ramos Montoya is an Editor at Social Geek.