Update: At least according to a new patent, OnePlus is actually working on a foldable phone now. In other words, it could be the next concept phone.

OnePlus' foldable teaser certainly caught the attention of many (including us). But ultimately, it was just a promotional trap to try to capitalize on the foldable craze during Samsung's Unpacked event, where the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 were announced.

Two days ago, OnePlus USA released a mysterious teaser on both its Instagram and Twitter accounts of what appeared to be a folding or dual-screen smartphone with a Galaxy theme across the display. Interestingly, the post was captioned "8.11 10am ET."

However, as soon as the clock struck 10am ET, OnePlus USA shared another tweet. This time, the post featured a video featuring the previously teased foldable device, but just 20 seconds into the post, it turned into a fiasco. A hand appeared and grabbed half of the device, revealing that all this time we had been fooled by two One Plus 9 smartphones standing side by side. And the caption read: "Half price. Literally. get the OnePlus 9 for 50% off."

That's right, the whole fiasco was just OnePlus trying to steal Samsung's thunder by advertising a 50% off OnePlus 9 campaign on T-Mobile.

While some users found it amusing, others did not appreciate the clickbaity PR stunt. 'Dear @Twitter, this is one great reason to introduce the Dislike button. - One user responded.

At first glance, the 50% off deal certainly sounds appealing, but there is a catch. The offer is only valid for U.S. customers and is limited to the T-Mobile network. Also, only 50% ($375) will be returned two years after purchase.

Some users were unimpressed that the company did not specify in its post that the deal was US-centric. 'I saw £50 but not the 50% they are talking about ......' said a UK-based Twitter user.

All disappointments aside, the OnePlus 9 is still a powerful device; in his review of the OnePlus 9, senior editor Philip Michaels said, "The camera upgrade makes this a must-have phone. Overall, we were also impressed with the fast charging capabilities, impressive battery life, and an impressive refresh rate of 120Hz. However, the lack of IP-grade water resistance may be frustrating for some users.

Thus, if you live in the US and are willing to sign up with T-Mobile, this deal is worth considering.