With launch cycles accelerating, Android device makers are debuting their phones sooner than ever before. Case in point: the OnePlus 15 was announced globally on November 13, 2025, just 10 months after the launch of the OnePlus 13.
With the OnePlus 15 now available, the Chinese manufacturer is hard at work on next year's phone. There isn't much we know about the OnePlus 16 at this point in time, but as always, we can make a few educated guesses.
Having used the OnePlus 15, I want to see a few changes on the OnePlus 16, namely around the design and cameras. I'll be updating this post over the coming months as more information starts becoming available about the OnePlus 16, but for now, this is what we know so far, and what I'd want to see in the OnePlus' next flagship.
OnePlus 16: I need a differentiated design
I don't like the design of the OnePlus 15 — it looks too generic, and doesn't really have any of the flair that made earlier devices stand out. While I get that phone design in general is amalgamating into a boxy aesthetic that emulates iPhones, several brands have managed to differentiate their phones; Google's Pixel 10 Pro XL has an even bolder camera bar, Samsung's use of individual accents around its cameras is unique, and Vivo always rolls out phones with massive camera islands.
With OnePlus, I just don't see that identity. If anything, the OnePlus 15 feels like an off-brand imitation of the Find X8, and I want the OnePlus 16 to resemble the OnePlus 13 — at least that phone had a distinctive design.
I want to see better cameras on the OnePlus 16
Look, the OnePlus 15 has decent cameras, and it does a good enough job in most scenarios. In fact, it holds its own against the Pixel 10 and Galaxy S25.
However, it just doesn't measure up to its Chinese rivals, and both the Find X8 and Vivo X300 have much better cameras. An issue in this regard is that OnePlus is using older modules, with the main camera having a smaller sensor than last year.
I don't understand the reasoning behind this, and although the device takes slightly better shots than the OnePlus 13, the difference isn't noteworthy.
Then there's the Hasselblad integration — or lack thereof. OnePlus was the company that actually partnered with Hasselblad, so to not see the Swedish camera giant's tuning on the OnePlus 16 is annoying. The device instead gets a new DetailMax engine, and I don't know who came up with that name, but it is a misnomer to say the least.
With the OnePlus 16, the manufacturer needs to at least use the same caliber of camera sensors as its Chinese rivals.
OnePlus 16 will likely have these specs
It doesn't take much to guess that the OnePlus 16 will be powered by Qualcomm's next flagship silicon, nor that the phone will have a massive battery. Honestly, my favorite feature on the OnePlus 15 is the 7,300mAh battery, and I want to see this continue next year.
We will also likely get the same 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage on the base model, and I'd like to see the 1TB model debut globally — I still don't get why this is limited to China.
OnePlus 16 may launch just as early
While I have no information on when the OnePlus 16 may possibly debut, it is likely to follow the same cadence as this year. That means a launch in China in early Q4 followed by a global release later in the quarter.
Of course, OnePlus may just decide to push up the schedule, meaning we could see the OnePlus 16 sooner. As of now, there isn't much in the way of details about the device, but I will add details to this post when that changes.
