What was once a niche enthusiast brand, OnePlus has evolved into a heavy-lifting mainstream player that's all about packing absolute max performance and insane battery life into its hardware. Its main focus is on its Android-based OS, OxygenOS, and its native AI system, OnePlus AI. It is well known for its flagship phones, the sleek R series, and more affordable Nord devices.

Beyond phones, OnePlus has also established a sizable hardware portfolio that spans earbuds, smartwatches, and tablets. Given that OnePlus and OPPO share R&D resources, their products are often very similar, though they differ depending on the markets they serve. OnePlus was co-founded by Carl Pei, who is now the CEO of Nothing.

What you need to know

• A new leak claims the OnePlus 16 could feature a 185Hz display, up from 165Hz on the OnePlus 15.
• OnePlus is reportedly testing ultra-slim 1mm bezels on all four sides for a more immersive design.
• The OnePlus 16 is rumored to pack a huge 9,000mAh battery with support for 120W fast charging.

A new leak has shed some light on the display specs of the OnePlus 16, and it looks like OnePlus is going all in on creating a more immersive design.

OnePlus may be going through a bit of turmoil right now, but that clearly isn't stopping the company from working on its next flagship. We recently heard rumors that the OnePlus 16 could launch earlier than usual with a massive 9,000mAh battery, and now a new leak has revealed more details about the phone's display.

According to tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo, OnePlus is currently testing the OnePlus 16 with a 185Hz refresh rate display. Earlier rumors suggested the company could jump all the way to 240Hz, but that now appears unlikely.

Even so, 185Hz would still be one of the highest refresh rates we've seen on a flagship smartphone. For comparison, the current OnePlus 15 tops out at 165Hz.

The tipster also claims OnePlus is aggressively shrinking the bezels on the upcoming device. According to the leak, the OnePlus 16 could feature bezels measuring just 1mm on all four sides. For context, both the OnePlus 15 and Galaxy S26 Ultra already have very slim 1.5mm bezels, so pushing that down to 1mm would make the display feel even more immersive.

Beyond the display, the OnePlus 16 is also rumored to feature that massive 9,000mAh battery alongside 120W fast charging. The phone could be powered by Qualcomm's next-generation Snapdragon Elite chipset and may even introduce a 200MP periscope telephoto camera for the first time on a OnePlus flagship.

Of course, it's still far too early to treat any of these claims as confirmed. But if even half of these rumors turn out to be true, the OnePlus 16 is shaping up to be a very capable successor to the OnePlus 15.

Whether you're preparing for a long flight or a road trip, tablets have become must-have additions to any summer travel packing list. The best tablets for travelers should have great battery life, good-looking displays, and enough power to access your favorite streaming services or games without skipping a beat.

But with so many options to choose from, how can you select the Android tablet that's best for you and your needs? It's going to depend on a few factors, from budget and size to use case, so before you hit the road, let's take a look at the best Android tablets for travel in 2026.

What is the best tablet for travel?

As with most device purchases, the right tablet for you really depends on how you plan to use it. Need a versatile device with incredible battery life? The OnePlus Pad 3 is probably the best all-rounder, with impressive performance, a stunning display, and a reasonable price tag to match.

Need a laptop replacement? Devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra can handle heavy media consumption and large file management with ease. There are also plenty of great options if you just need an e-reader or something kid-friendly. Needless to say, we've tested all of the tablets listed above and can vouch for their quality, regardless of your needs or budget.

What features should I look for in a tablet for travel? 

The tablet you choose for your journey should have a nice display, a lightweight-yet-durable build, and enough battery life to handle those long travel days. The dimensions are important as well, so take a moment to think about the size of your luggage before you commit to a specific model. If you want to use accessories like a detachable keyboard or stylus, it's also important to confirm that the tablet is compatible.

Last but not least, I'd recommend confirming that the device you choose has enough storage to hold all of the stuff (movies, games, etcetera) that you need for those long trips when you won't have access to a cellular connection or Wi-Fi network. Some tablets might even come with a microSD slot so you can expand your storage capacity if necessary.

What you need to know

• OnePlus 15 is now receiving AirDrop support through Quick Share, joining Pixel and Galaxy phones.
• The feature lets Android and iPhone users transfer files directly using native AirDrop and Quick Share.
• The rollout appears limited to the OnePlus 15 for now, with no word on older OnePlus devices.

Following Samsung Galaxy phones and Google Pixel devices, AirDrop support through Quick Share is now rolling out to the OnePlus 15.

Late last year, Google introduced support for Apple's AirDrop on the Pixel 10 series. And unlike many previous workarounds, this wasn't really a workaround at all. It allowed users to send and receive files directly between Pixel phones and iPhones through Quick Share and AirDrop. Google later expanded the feature to the Pixel 9 series earlier this year.

Samsung then followed by bringing the feature to the Galaxy S26 series and later expanding it to several older flagship Galaxy phones through One UI 8.5. Other Android flagships, including the Oppo Find X9 Ultra and Vivo X300 Ultra, have also gained support, and now it looks like OnePlus is finally joining the list.

While OnePlus hasn't made an official announcement yet, users on the OnePlus forums have started reporting the rollout, and the folks over at Android Authority have also confirmed the feature is appearing on OnePlus 15 devices.

Like on other supported devices, the feature works by setting visibility to Everyone on both the Android phone and iPhone. Once enabled, you'll be able to transfer files back and forth directly using the native AirDrop and Quick Share interfaces.

If you don't see the feature yet, make sure both your phone software and Quick Share app are updated to the latest version.

It's also worth noting that, for now, the rollout appears to be limited to the OnePlus 15. There is no indication yet that the feature will be coming to older devices like the OnePlus 13 or earlier models.

What you need to know

• OnePlus is reportedly returning to the budget segment with a new smartphone lineup positioned below the Nord series.
• The rumored OnePlus N series could target India's sub-Rs 20,000 market.
• Leaks suggest multiple models are in development, with some devices potentially starting at around Rs 15,000 ($150).

OnePlus made its name with affordable flagships, but over the years the brand has been gradually moving upmarket. Now, the company appears to be returning to its original focus with a new series specifically targeting the budget market.

Several reports suggest that OnePlus is working on a brand new smartphone series that will sit below the current Nord family. According to a report from Smartprix, citing industry insider Yogesh Brar, the upcoming range – reportedly called the OnePlus N series – is expected to take on the highly competitive sub-Rs 20,000 segment in India, where it will come face-to-face with familiar names like Redmi, POCO, Realme, and Vivo.

It’s worth pointing out that the Nord range covers mid-range territory already, but the company has largely avoided the truly budget category recently. Instead, it has been focusing on premium flagships and upper mid-range devices.

Latest rumors are that the new N series is coming for consumers who want the OnePlus experience without paying flagship prices.

Pricing could go as low as ₹15,000 (about $150)

Very little information is available, and no specifications have leaked yet, but the new leaks say that OnePlus is planning to release several models under the new branding. According to Android Headlines, the company may introduce more affordable models, potentially priced as low as Rs. 15,000 ($150).

The strategy makes sense when you consider the current smartphone landscape. The competition below Rs 20,000 has become cut-throat, with brands stuffing high-refresh-rate displays, big batteries, and capable processors into devices that cost far less than they did just a few years back. OnePlus has had success with the Nord series in India but has never aggressively pursued the entry-level space.

The leaks suggest the new series could launch in July, but there's no word on when. The primary market appears to be India, which isn’t surprising considering the role of the country for OnePlus and the continued popularity of budget Android devices there.

If the reports are true, the company could once again enter the arena where it made its name first — selling decent smartphones without asking for flagship prices. The question now is whether OnePlus can carve itself a niche in one of the most crowded segments of the Android market.

Android Central's Take

This might be one of the more intriguing moves from OnePlus in years. More competition in the budget segment is always good news for buyers, especially when smartphone prices keep creeping up in this era. If OnePlus can deliver its software experience, fast charging, and overall polish to cheaper devices, users will benefit the most. That said, the budget market is already swamped with phones that promise the world and then deliver a forgettable experience. But slapping a new logo on another budget phone won’t magically conjure the old “flagship killer” magic. Now OnePlus must prove that this new series is more than just another attempt to fill shelf space.

What you need to know

• A new leak claims the OnePlus 16 could launch in September 2026, the earliest flagship launch in OnePlus history.
• The OnePlus 16 is rumored to feature a 9,000mAh battery, 120W charging, and a 240Hz OLED display.
• OnePlus may move its launch window closer to Pixel and iPhone releases, intensifying flagship competition.

A new leak suggests the OnePlus 16 could arrive as early as September 2026.

It's been an unusual year for OnePlus. Reports surfaced claiming the company was struggling, while OnePlus executives maintained that business was continuing as normal. Then came the departure of the company's CEO, followed by reports that OnePlus was scaling back operations in some European markets.

Despite all that, it doesn't look like OnePlus is slowing down when it comes to flagship smartphones. According to reliable Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station, OnePlus has reportedly locked in a Q3 2026 launch window for the OnePlus 16. The leaker claims the device could be ready for release as early as September.

The report also suggests development is progressing faster than expected. While the leak doesn't specify whether this timeline refers to the Chinese launch or the global rollout, it's reasonable to assume this would initially apply to China, since OnePlus typically launches its flagships there first.

If true, this would mark the earliest flagship launch in OnePlus history. The company used to launch its flagships in December or January, but shifted the OnePlus 15 launch to November. Moving all the way up to September would put the OnePlus 16 directly against the Google Pixel 11 series and Apple's next-generation iPhones.

Previous leaks have painted a pretty ambitious picture of the OnePlus 16. The device is rumored to feature a 1.5K OLED display with a 240Hz refresh rate, a massive 9,000mAh battery, and support for 120W fast charging. It's also expected to be powered by Qualcomm's next-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite 6th Gen Pro chipset and could feature a 200MP main camera alongside a 200MP periscope telephoto camera.

It's still early days, but this leak suggests OnePlus is continuing with business as usual when it comes to flagship phones, and the company's next big Android device may arrive sooner than many expected.

Android Central's Take

I've never seen OnePlus launch a flagship this early before, so there has to be a reason behind the shift. My guess is that the company wants to get ahead of competitors and extend its sales window.

At the same time, launching around the same period as the latest iPhones could make it much harder for OnePlus to grab headlines. It'll be interesting to see whether the earlier launch ends up helping or not.

The OnePlus Pad series is still where I think the company has some of its old "Flagship killer" instincts left. Last year's OnePlus Pad 3 brought together a premium design, solid software, powerful hardware, and very few compromises, so I was genuinely excited when OnePlus told me it was working on a successor.

On paper, though, the OnePlus Pad 4 feels like a fairly incremental upgrade. It brings the latest Qualcomm flagship chipset, an even bigger battery than last year, and keeps a very similar overall design. There are also a few odd downgrades this time around, mostly because of rising memory and component costs, which now seem to be affecting tablets as well.

But Android tablets in general still feel like they're stuck in a weird spot right now, and that's exactly where the OnePlus Pad 4 lands, too. It's undeniably powerful, but whether it truly has what it takes to compete against the very best tablets on the market, I'm still not fully convinced. I've been using the OnePlus Pad 4 for the past three weeks, and here's what I've learned.

The display is still fantastic, but OLED would've made it unbeatable

One of the only complaints we had about last year's OnePlus Pad 3 was that OnePlus still used an IPS LCD panel on what was supposed to be its flagship tablet. Unfortunately, that's still the case with the OnePlus Pad 4 as well.

The OnePlus Pad 4 comes with a very similar 13.2-inch IPS LCD display to last year's model. It's still a really good panel overall, with Dolby Vision support and up to a 144Hz refresh rate. OnePlus has also bumped the brightness from 900 nits to 1,000 nits in high brightness mode, which definitely helps a bit more outdoors.

But as we've been saying for the past couple of years, an LCD panel still just can't reproduce colors and contrast the same way an OLED display can. You probably won't notice much of an issue while using it, but the moment you place it next to an OLED panel, the difference becomes pretty obvious.

That said, I still had a pretty fun time binge-watching the first season of "Your Friends & Neighbors" on Apple TV, especially thanks to that eight-speaker setup that makes the whole experience pretty joyful.

The thin design is great, but this tablet really needs a case

The OnePlus Pad 4 is impressively thin at just 5.9mm. It's not the thinnest tablet around — the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is thinner at 5.1mm, and even the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro comes in slightly slimmer at 5.8mm. However, the overall design of the OnePlus Pad 4 still feels very premium. You get a unibody metal build along with a relatively small camera module on the top-right corner that still protrudes slightly.

On the front, the bezels are fairly slim, and I still appreciate that OnePlus uses separate volume buttons instead of a unified rocker. But one thing I immediately realized after taking the tablet out of the box is that combining such a slim design with a massive battery also makes it quite heavy.

And because of that, using the OnePlus Pad 4 without a case quickly becomes uncomfortable, especially during longer sessions. Honestly, if you're planning to buy a tablet this large and heavy, a case should probably be the first accessory you pick up. Even when using it on a desk, you'll want something that can prop it up properly instead of constantly holding it in your hands.

Open Canvas remains one of the best things about OnePlus tablets

That said, this massive 13.2-inch display also ends up being the perfect fit for OnePlus Open Canvas. For those who don't remember, Open Canvas is OnePlus' multitasking system that lets you run up to three apps side by side, and honestly, it turned out to be one of my favorite parts of using this tablet.

Most of the time, I had Slack, Google Docs, and Chrome open together for writing, research, and communication, and the large screen handled that setup really well. I didn't need to switch between different tabs again and again, and even though the OnePlus Pad 4 supports floating windows and more traditional split-screen multitasking, Open Canvas just feels much more natural on a display this size.

And I think multitasking on this tablet could get even better once Android 17's App Bubbles feature eventually arrives here.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 barely breaks a sweat here

The OnePlus Pad 4 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and the tablet barely falters no matter what you throw at it. In some ways, the chip almost feels like overkill for an Android tablet, but if you're planning to use this as your primary gaming or productivity device, the extra power definitely helps.

I played a bunch of games on the tablet during my time with it, and everything ran extremely smoothly without any noticeable frame drops or heating issues. OxygenOS also feels pretty well optimized for this large screen.

One slightly odd downgrade this year, though, is the RAM configuration. The base OnePlus Pad 4 now starts with 8GB of RAM, whereas last year's model offered 12GB by default.

It didn't really affect my day-to-day usage much during testing, but I can see it potentially becoming a limitation in the long run, especially for those who might pick this for things like editing (with the Adobe Premiere app coming to Android later this year).

The battery life is exactly what I want from a large Android tablet

The OnePlus Pad 4 ships with a massive 13,380mAh battery and support for 80W SuperVOOC charging. Thankfully, the real-world battery life is just as impressive as the specs suggest.

What I absolutely loved is the tablet's standby time. I went on a four-day trip to Thailand without the tablet, and it had 68% when I left. Even after returning, the battery only dropped to just 62%, which is incredibly good, especially considering the tablet stayed connected to Wi-Fi with notifications enabled the whole time.

That's what matters the most for a tablet. Unlike a phone, you don't necessarily use a tablet every single day. Good standby life means that whenever you pick it up, there's usually enough battery left to use it immediately, without first plugging it in and waiting for it to charge.

Verdict

So what's not so good about this tablet? Well, barely anything. But when I say Android tablets are still in a weird space right now, it's mostly because the app ecosystem hasn't fully caught up.

Android itself is now pretty capable when it comes to multitasking and productivity, but app developers still don't seem to treat Android tablets with the same seriousness as iPads. On the iPad side, you have access to Apple's entire suite of professional apps, along with much better optimized creative apps for video editing, writing, drawing, and photo editing. There are also several AAA games available on the iPad now that still don't have proper Android counterparts in sight.

And, yes, that isn't really OnePlus' fault. The hardware here is genuinely excellent, and the company has done a really good job with the software experience too. The OnePlus Pad 4 pretty much has everything it needs to succeed as an Android tablet, but the broader Android tablet ecosystem still holds it back slightly.

Of course, there are also some concerns around OnePlus right now, especially with the company scaling back operations in a few regions. That said, at least in markets like India where OnePlus tablets still seem to be doing well, the Pad 4 makes a lot of sense.

For the price, this is still a fantastic gaming tablet and, honestly, one of the better multimedia Android tablets you can buy right now.

What you need to know

• OnePlus has paused OxygenOS 16.0.7.XXX and 16.0.5.XXX after some phones started boot looping and randomly restarting.
• The company says only a “small number” of devices are affected, but the bug was serious enough to halt the rollout entirely.
• OnePlus engineers are now working on a fix and promise stricter validation testing before future updates go live.

OnePlus has halted its two latest OxygenOS updates following a software bug that caused some phones to get stuck in boot loops and randomly restart. The team has confirmed that both OxygenOS 16.0.7.XXX and 16.0.5.XXX have been temporarily pulled as it looks into the issue.

In a statement posted on the official OnePlus Community forum, OnePlus said a “small number of devices" began experiencing abnormal restart and boot problems shortly after installing the new builds. The company says it has paused the rollout to protect device stability and avoid a larger mess while it works on a fix.

It’s an especially awkward moment for OnePlus, as OxygenOS has been one of the company’s biggest selling points for years. The software built its reputation on fast performance, clean design, and relatively speedy updates compared with much of the Android world.

However, in the last few years, OxygenOS has also become more tightly coupled with Oppo’s ColorOS framework following the companies’ deeper integration, with major updates sometimes bringing stability headaches.

A recurring headache

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time a OnePlus update has gone wrong. Some older devices also had to stop receiving OxygenOS updates in the past, as some phones became unusable after installation.

OnePlus says its engineers are working to identify the root cause and develop a patch before the rollout resumes. The company also said that future builds will undergo further validation tests to ensure stability and reliability before they are released.

For the time being, if your OnePlus phone has not yet gotten OxygenOS 16.0.7.XXX or 16.0.5.XXX, do not attempt to sideload unofficial copies from forums or third-party sources. And if your device has already updated without any problems, you might want to skip any further manual flashes until OnePlus confirms that the fix is on the way.

Android Central's Take

This situation is a reminder that fast updates are worthless if they come at the cost of reliability. I'd much rather wait an extra week for a stable OxygenOS build than risk turning a $900-plus phone into a costly paperweight overnight. OnePlus still makes some of the best Android phones around, and OxygenOS can genuinely feel smoother and lighter than a lot of competing skins when it works properly. However, repeated pauses in updates quickly erode user trust.

OnePlus deals don't come around very often, so even the smallest discounts on these eye-catching smartphones deserve a bit of attention. The OnePlus 15R, for example, is currently chilling with a $100 price drop at Amazon, knocking the price of the 512GB phone down to $699.99. 

That may not seem like a major discount, but it's actually the largest price drop that the unlocked device has ever received through the retailer. Is the phone worth it? How does it compare to the standard OnePlus 15? Let's discuss. 

• See the full list of top deals at Amazon today

✅Recommended if: you want a OnePlus device with a durable design, vibrant AMOLED display, and some of the best battery life ever packed into an Android phone.

❌Skip this deal if: you can afford the standard OnePlus 15; you want a phone with great cameras or impressive gaming performance; you can find a better deal on the OnePlus 13 or 13R. 

Just like the standard OnePlus 15, the OnePlus 15R has a bunch of premium specs that should turn heads, such as a powerful Snapdragon chipset, vibrant 6.8-inch AMOLED display, and IP68/IP69 water-and-dust resistance. The main selling point, however, is the phone's gargantuan 7,400mAh battery, an upgrade that should give the OnePlus 15R up to two days on a single charge. 

That being said, the OnePlus 15R is far from perfect. The cameras are pretty underwhelming and lack a telephoto lens, overheating can be a problem with graphics-intensive games, and if that wasn't frustrating enough, OnePlus decided to increase the price of the phone by $100. In other words, this Amazon deal is basically just offsetting a price hike. 

Still, the OnePlus 15R is a great device if you value long-lasting battery life and don't play a ton of Android games, but I would only pick it up if you can't afford the OnePlus 15. Starting at $899.99 for the 256GB version, this flagship is better than the 15R in every way aside from battery life, and while it doesn't get discounted very often, it's worth noting that Prime Day 2026 is just around the corner. The choice is yours.

What you need to know

• OnePlus shared details about OxygenOS 16.1, which is rolling out now for the OnePlus 15 5G in India.
• Many of its AI features have received small QoL upgrades, such as its document scanning, which leans on AI to help remove blemishes.
• The camera is also receiving a few upgrades to clean its UI for an "intuitive" shooting experience.

If you've been waiting for the next software release from OnePlus, wait no more, as the OnePlus 15 receives it in batches.

This week, OnePlus detailed its OxygenOS 16.1 patch, which is rolling out for the OnePlus 15 5G in India. The brand revealed its patch notes in full, detailing what's coming for its AI suite. The Translate app for the phone now offers a "dedicated on-device AI model" for more accurate translations when you're offline. Editing photos into a brilliant creation through Collage's Pop out mode brings adjustable borders, directions, and more.

Scanned documents are automatically entered into your Documents app and can be found in "recents." OnePlus highlights upgrades to its scanning, stating that it's become quicker and its software now removes paper wrinkles, shadows, and blurs with a tap.

For the sake of customization, OxygenOS 16.1 rolls out updates for Live Space. The lock screen has received a "dual-mode design featuring a notification capsule that displays notifications and Live Updates without covering the wallpaper." Users can swipe down to collapse the lock screen notifications and Live Alerts into a "tidy capsule." Swiping back up unveils the full list. Color or category-based organization heads to the home screen, and the layouts you decide are now auto-saved as you progress.

Smoother animations enhance floating window actions in OxygenOS 16.1, as well as AI-reconstructed touch recognition to reduce jitters in apps. You can read the full patch notes, but we will also highlight a few more key points.

• Introduces Master presets. You can now save your custom parameters as presets and share them via watermarks.
• Upgrades Camera with cleaner UIs and more natural interactions, resulting in a smoother, more intuitive shooting experience.
• You can now adjust the speaker's sound effects via the equalizer. Choose from various effects like Pop and Rock, or customize the effects across different frequency bands. You can find this feature in "Settings - Sound & vibration - Sound effect settings - Custom."
• Better protection against unwanted calls: enhanced caller identification can now recognize telemarketing, spam, and suspected fraud calls.

OxygenOS 16 felt fresh

OxygenOS 16 was officially announced last October, positioned as a piece of software that truly knows its user. Intelligent data interactions were said to carry their personalized experience, thanks to AI. OxygenOS 16 completely revamped the UI with customizable themes, app visual enhancements, and more. Of course, OnePlus didn't conclude things without detailing its AI features, which we've seen pick up some sweet upgrades with its v16.1 update.

In our review of OxygenOS 16 on the OnePlus 13, the software's animations, lock screens, and gaming capabilities stole the show. Games could finally run at 120fps with OxygenOS 16. When it came to lock screens, OnePlus got fancy, deploying a new set of tools to make the phone feel like its owner.

What you need to know

• A significant report claims OnePlus has merged with the OPPO sub-brand, Realme.
• It's been reported that a sub-product and business unit has been established, and the people involved will "report to Pete Lau," the OnePlus CEO.
• Android Central received a statement from OnePlus North America; however, it sheds little light on the current situation.

As if the rumors couldn't get any more interesting, now there are reports that say OnePlus is entering a new era with an OPPO sub-brand.

This week, Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station (DCS) posted on Weibo that OnePlus had "officially" merged with Realme. What's interesting here is that OnePlus is also a sub-brand of OPPO. The tipster states (machine-translated), "a sub-product center has been established, encompassing domestic and overseas product departments." There has also been a business unit established, which will oversee the "marketing and service systems" for OnePlus and Realme.

DCS adds that many of these new teams will report to OnePlus CEO Pete Lau. Elsewhere, a report by Leiphone doubles down on the allegations that both companies have merged (via Gizmochina). The publication reportedly sought analyst speculation, stating this merger could help OPPO in focusing its "resources to expand into the global market." More importantly, this could also facilitate a clearer device strategy moving forward.

We should take this with a grain of salt for now. OnePlus has yet to publish a press release regarding the merger. Additionally, Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich reached out to OnePlus North America about this and received the following statement: "OnePlus North America is evaluating its regional roadmap and product strategy. All users' after-sales support, software updates, and rights commitments are fully guaranteed."

Suffice to say, this hasn't given us much to go on. If anything changes, we will update this post.

OnePlus... Realme?

Let's get something out of the way: there have been OnePlus (global) shutdown rumors for a few months now. While the company has declined the possibility of a shutdown in global markets, the executive who spearheaded that recently stepped down. OnePlus India CEO Robin Liu stepped down in March, and the company said it was due to "personal reasons." This came at an odd time, considering OnePlus has had its struggles.

Most recently, there have been some unsettling signs that OnePlus could drop out of the European market. New employee posts in LinkedIn suggest OnePlus might be scaling back its operations, as it's reportedly looking to "review" its global strategy. Nothing about this was confirmed, aside from the employee posts, but it's worrying. Now, we have this rumor about a merger between OnePlus and Realme, and things are pretty much left in limbo.

Android Central's Take

I've been following this here and there since the rumors started. OnePlus phones are pretty neat, especially given their focus on battery capacity and gaming, too. But it's hard to ignore that there are clearly issues. Next-gen devices have pretty much skipped the U.S., and I'm not sure where things will go from here.

What you need to know

• OnePlus has quietly listed the Watch 4 on its global site.
• Hardware barely changes, with the same Snapdragon W5, BES 2800 chip, 2GB RAM, and 32GB storage.
• Full titanium build makes it lighter and slightly thinner, with a sharper 1.5-inch OLED hitting 3,000 nits.
• While the specs are fully revealed, pricing and release date are still unknown.

Things are strange in tech at the moment. OnePlus is laying off employees and rethinking its global business. Still, instead of staying quiet, the company quietly introduced its next smartwatch as if nothing unusual is happening.

Meet the OnePlus Watch 4. It’s official and listed on the company’s global website. We know all the specs, but the price and release date are still missing.

There aren’t any big hardware changes, though. The Watch 4 uses the same Snapdragon W5 chip and BES 2800 coprocessor as the Watch 2 and Watch 3. It still has 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.

The battery is almost the same at 632mAh. It should last up to 16 days in power saver mode, 5 days in smart mode, and 3 days with heavy use.

Titanium for everyone

Now, the whole case is made from titanium alloy instead of just the bezel. This change lowers the weight to 43g, or 68g with the strap, and makes the 47.4mm body slightly thinner. The watch also features a clear 1.5-inch LTPO OLED display (466 x 466) that can reach 3,000 nits of brightness in sports mode.

The main improvement is in the software. The Watch 4 launches with OxygenOS Watch 8, which is based on Wear OS 6. That’s one version ahead of the Watch 3. Gemini is included, and the watch has all the latest health certifications, although a few are still missing in the U.S.

The watch has plenty of protection features: 5ATM, IP68, and now an IP69 rating for high-temperature water jets. It also meets MIL-STD-810H durability standards.

The OnePlus Watch 4 is available in Evergreen Titanium and Midnight Titanium. There’s no official price yet, but since it has similar hardware to the $350 Watch 3, it will likely be in that range.

Android Central's Take

Here’s what bothers me. For buyers, this watch is actually impressive. It offers a lighter titanium body, a great display, and Wear OS 6 with Gemini before most competitors. But a good watch doesn’t mean much if the company might disappear soon. OnePlus wants recognition for releasing a polished product, but hasn’t addressed whether it will support the watch in the future.

What you need to know

• OnePlus wants mobile gamers to feel right at home with the Ace 6 Ultra, as its teasers showcase a handheld console-like case.
• The case features four buttons on its back, which users can customize to fit any controls within the game, such as aiming and firing in shooters.
• The Ace 5 Ultra also featured quite a heavy focus on gaming, as OnePlus equipped it with a trio of chips to do the heavylifting.

China is anticipating the launch of the next OnePlus Ace series phone, and the company is fueling the hype by appealing to mobile gamers.

Mobile gaming's been on the rise for years now, and the OnePlus Ace 6 Ultra is trying to improve the experience in these official teasers (via Android Authority). On Weibo, OnePlus teased that it has created a "lightweight" gamepad for the Ace 6 Ultra that turns the device into a handheld console (kind of). Immediately, the company claims this case creates the "ultimate FPS shooting experience" for the phone.

This handheld gaming console "case" features four buttons: R1, R2, L1, L2 (it's similar, but this isn't PlayStation). There are four customizable buttons that users can equip with various functions in the games they're playing. While you still need to use your thumbs for running and camera movement, these external buttons can be used for shooting, abilities, and more.

A teaser video shows that the case is pretty responsive to the user's input, as it seemingly boasts very, very low input lag between ADS (aiming down sight) and firing. Moreover, OnePlus explains that users will have to extend the case, slot the phone in, and they're ready to go. It adds that the control scheme is "closer to the PC version," as it tries to bridge that gap between a handheld experience and a quicker PC gaming session.

One image suggests that users can attach a OnePlus cooling fan to the handheld case, too. The OnePlus Ace 6 Ultra is reportedly preparing to debut on April 28 overseas with a 6.7-inch 1.5K display, an 8,600mAh battery, and 165W charging, per the publication.

It's always a good time to game

It's not as if mobile gaming is a new focus for OnePlus. Over the years, it's consistently tried to implement worthwhile upgrades that could benefit users enjoying graphical and performance-heavy games, like Genshin Impact, Wuthering Waves, and more. The Ace 5 Ultra launched around this time last year (more into May) with a strong focus on games. The phone features what the company called the "Esports Triple-Chip."

This fancy term was the umbrella that its MediaTek Dimensity 9400 Plus SoC, Lingxi touch-control chip, and the Wi-Fi chip G1 sat under. This year's version, the Ace 6 Ultra, is said to feature the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 SoC, equipped with a 33% faster GPU, 120FPS capabilities, and raytracing for that PC-like graphical experience.

Android Central's Take

I like this. I think this is really cool. I play games on my phone that have quite a few controls; nothing crazy, and I definitely keep shooters for my PC or console. But I know how popular other shooters are on phones, and this might come in handy pretty well. Even for other games, such as those that are more combat focused, this could get its uses.

What you need to know

• A OnePlus Europe employee's LinkedIn post suggests the company may be scaling back operations in the region.
• Reports indicate OnePlus is reviewing its global strategy, possibly exiting key markets to focus on China.
• OnePlus hasn't confirmed anything yet, but its current direction raises questions about global plans.

It seems not all is going well with OnePlus, as a new LinkedIn post from a OnePlus employee in Europe suggests that the company may be scaling down its operations in the region.

OnePlus has been under scrutiny for a while now. Earlier reports suggested that the company is rethinking its global strategy, with plans to exit some key markets. After that, OnePlus India's CEO said there was nothing to worry about. However, soon after that, the OnePlus India CEO stepped down — and now, it looks like the company may also be scaling back in the European market.

A Reddit post highlighted a now-deleted LinkedIn update from a senior community manager at OnePlus Europe, suggesting that the company may be exiting the market.

While the employee didn't share the full internal note, they did mention that "based on a comprehensive assessment of the European market environment, business performance, and resource allocation, OnePlus Europe is currently reviewing its regional road map and product strategy."

What this likely means is that OnePlus could be gradually pulling back from the region. The employee didn't directly say they were laid off, but it does sound like they are preparing to look for new opportunities.

From a broader perspective, this suggests things may not be going entirely to plan for OnePlus this year. The company has launched new devices, but multiple reports indicate it may exit certain global markets to focus more on its China business. There have also been claims about scaling back in India, possibly shifting focus to mid-range and budget devices.

We've reached out to OnePlus for comment on this, and we'll update you if we hear back.

Android Central's Take

It's not just OnePlus. A number of Android brands have been facing a slowdown in sales this year. Rising memory costs and other component prices are also playing a role, and overall, it hasn't been the best year so far for smartphone makers.

A lot has been written about OnePlus in recent months, and it's possible that the manufacturer is exiting most global markets, including North America. That's annoying to say the least, as the OnePlus 15 is a legitimate alternative to the Galaxy S26 Ultra in the U.S.

Thankfully, it doesn't look like OnePlus is changing its strategy in India. That's evident with the introduction of the Nord 6, which has the potential to do really well in India's crowded mid-range category. The Nord 6 is going on sale starting April 9 in India, and the 8GB/256GB model will be available from ₹38,999 ($422), with a 12GB/256GB model retailing for ₹41,999 ($455).

It's telling that the base model of the Nord 6 costs more than the 12GB/512GB edition of the Nord 5, but you at least get a few decent upgrades this year. On that note, OnePlus isn't even offering a 512GB variant of the Nord 6, which is puzzling.

The biggest talking point with the Nord 6 is the battery; the phone comes with a power bank-sized 9,000mAh battery, and that allows it to last two days even with heavy use. You can even get the phone to last three days between charges with light usage, and that just overshadows every other phone in this category.

Thankfully, OnePlus went with a silicon-carbon dual-cell battery, so you'll get better longevity and much better density. It's the latter point that's key here, because in spite of a gargantuan battery, the Nord 6 has a thickness of just 8.5mm.

That's what makes using the Nord 6 so good; at no point do you get the feeling that you're using a phone that can double as a power bank. It's a smidgen heavier than the Nord 5 at 217g, but the dimensions are in line with most other mid-range devices, and while it is a little thicker than most phones, it is in fact thinner than the Pixel 10a, which has a 5,100mAh battery.

There's good news on the charging front as well, and it takes just over 70 minutes to fully charge the 9,000mAh battery. A five-minute charge is good enough to get an hour's worth of gaming, and you get to the 50% mark in just over 30 minutes, which is more than adequate to last a day with ease.

Honestly, the battery life is so good that if that is a key consideration when upgrading a phone, you shouldn't look anywhere else — the Nord 6 is the endurance champion of 2026.

The design of the phone is decent enough, if a little bland. There isn't any flair or uniqueness to the design, and while I like the squarish camera module and the fact that it doesn't protrude from the chassis, the design isn't evocative in the least. The all-metal Nord 4 is still one of the best OnePlus phone designs in recent years, and it's a shame that the Nord 6 didn't take after that.

Still, build quality is pretty good, and the phone gets IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance, so it should weather India's monsoon season without any issues whatsoever. I also like that the weight is balanced well, and the rounded edges ensure the phone doesn't dig into your hand.

The 6.78-inch AMOLED panel has vibrant colors and good contrast, but the 165Hz refresh is a bit of a misnomer as you're not able to use that outside of select games. Still, the regular 120Hz refresh is good enough, and I didn't see any issues in my usage of the device.

On that note, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is a good choice on the Nord 4, as it gives the phone serious power. The chipset handled demanding games with relative ease, and it's safe to say that the Nord 6 is one of the most powerful phones in this category.

The software is quite good too; the phone comes with ColorOS 16 OxygenOS 16 based on Android 16, and you get a clean interface with plenty of customizability. There's some AI thrown in as well, but you don't need to use any of these features if you're like me and ambivalent towards AI in general.

Like most OnePlus phones, the Nord 6 will get four Android OS updates alongside six years of security updates, and that's good enough in this category.

The 50MP Sony Lytia LYT-600 main camera is a known quantity, and it takes good photos most of the times. Recent OnePlus phones struggled with consistency, and that's the case on the Nord 6 as well, but for the most part, you get detailed photos with good color rendition. The 8MP wide-angle lens is average at best, and you miss out on a tele shooter yet again.

Overall, I really enjoyed using the Nord 6, and I think this is a much better phone than the OnePlus 15R. If anything, with the Nord 6 now available, there isn't much of a reason to buy the 15R. The combination of hardware and class-leading battery life makes the Nord 6 a very enticing choice in the mid-range category, and if you're looking to upgrade this year, this may just be the ideal phone for you.

Amazon's Big Spring Sale is here with a wide range of great Android phone deals, including $50 off the price of the OnePlus 15R, which was released just a few months ago.

While the 13R is still the best mid-range Android phone, primarily due to the OnePlus 15R's price increases and downgraded cameras, this deal makes it seem a bit more appealing for folks who have been on the fence. Despite our frustration with some of these changes, the 15R is still a pretty solid device with a lot to offer. The phone comes with a bright, vivid display, ingress protection, powerful performance, and a long-lasting battery that users love.

This particular deal is for the 256GB configuration of the phone in both Charcoal Black and Mint Breeze. However, users can also upgrade to the 512GB configuration of the OnePlus 15R, or the retailer is offering a bundle that includes a $100 gift card for a slightly smaller discount.

• See the full list of deals during Amazon's Big Spring sale

✅Recommended if: you want a good deal on a phone that features a bright, good-looking display; you need a phone with superb battery life that'll get you through a full day with ease; you want a mid-range phone for around $550 and you'd like to find a discount on something that's normally more expensive.

❌Skip this deal if: you'd prefer to go with a phone that has a telephoto lens and an extremely high-quality suite of cameras; you'd rather go with a phone that's even more affordable than this, or something around this price point with higher specs; you need a phone with 16GB of RAM, or you'd want to upgrade to this or other phones with 512GB of storage.

The OnePlus 15R is a pretty solid phone, sporting a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate, and a powerful Snapdragon CPU that makes it a pleasure to use. It also has an IP69 dust and water resistance rating, all-day battery life, and 12GB of RAM for solid multi-tasking capabilities.

It is worth noting that the OnePlus 15R is more expensive than the 13R was upon launch, and the cameras are downgraded across the board, along with OnePlus completely omitting a telephoto lens. Still, if these aren't dealbreakers for you, it might be worthwhile to go with this phone while it's still on sale.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra might be the latest Android flagship out there, but it might not be the best deal right now. Amazon's Big Spring Sale has kicked off, and the OnePlus 15 is currently $100 off, bringing its price down to just $800.

This means if you are looking for one of the best Android phones of 2026 at a price that doesn't hurt your wallet, this OnePlus 15 deal is hard to ignore. At this price, it undercuts the Galaxy S26 Ultra's launch price by a massive $500 while still offering a very similar flagship experience.

• See the full list of deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale

✅Recommended if: you want a flagship Android phone at a reasonable price, you care about top-tier performance, excellent battery life, IP68 and IP69 durability, and something that will last for years.

❌Skip this deal if: you don't like OxygenOS, you want built-in Qi2 magnets without using a case, or you are concerned about OnePlus' presence in some global markets.

In my opinion, the OnePlus 15 perfectly brings back the original OnePlus "flagship killer" idea, especially at this price. After using it for over three months, the 165Hz OLED display still feels unmatched in this segment. You also get some of the best durability ratings on any smartphone with IP68, IP69, and IP69K certifications, something even Samsung and Google flagships don't fully match.

Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset ensures smooth performance no matter what you throw at it. Whether it is gaming or heavy multitasking, the phone handles everything with ease. The 7,300mAh battery easily lasts a full day and can stretch into two days with moderate use. On top of that, OnePlus includes an 80W fast charger in the box, so you don't have to spend extra on accessories.

The main areas where the OnePlus 15 falls behind the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro XL are software and ecosystem features. The OnePlus 15 doesn't offer the same level of AI features you get on Samsung or Google phones. It also lacks built-in Qi2-style magnetic support, so you will need a case for MagSafe-like accessories.

That said, at just $800, those trade-offs are easy to overlook. The only real concern right now is the uncertainty around OnePlus' presence in some global markets, which could impact long-term support. However, the company has promised at least four years of Android updates, so you can still expect solid long-term usability.

OnePlus may be going through a turbulent time right now, but the company isn't slowing down in launching new products. Its Nord-branded lineup has always caught my attention, especially recently, because it feels closer to the original OnePlus philosophy of offering great features at an affordable price.

So when the company reached out asking if I'd be willing to check out its new Nord Buds Pro 4, I was genuinely interested. I'll be honest, I've been using the AirPods Pro 3 as my primary earbuds. More than the ecosystem perks, I love that I can track workouts using the AirPods Pro 3 without wearing a smartwatch.

That said, one thing that has always bothered me is the battery life. So when OnePlus claimed the Nord Buds Pro 4 could deliver up to 54 hours of battery life, it immediately caught my attention.

And honestly, that's exactly where these earbuds win. They don't try to compete on premium materials, but they absolutely deliver where it matters. The battery life alone is ridiculous for the price. After testing them for the past few days, I genuinely think these are one of the easiest recommendations in the affordable earbuds space right now.

Battery life on the Nord Buds 4 Pro is simply on another level

You'll rarely see me praise the battery life to this extent of a pair of earbuds, but I'm doing it here because it is that good.

I've been using the Nord Buds 4 Pro for a little over a week now, and they're still going strong, with about 40% left in the case and the earbuds themselves still at 100%. Keep in mind that I've been using them daily for about two hours, mostly in the highest ANC mode, paired with my Galaxy S26 Ultra.

In the same duration, I would've had to charge my AirPods Pro 3 at least once, but the Nord Buds 4 Pro just refuse to die. And while this might sound like a small thing, the frustration of pulling out your earbuds only to find them dead is very real.

These earbuds made me realize just how far behind other earbuds are in this area, even flagship ones.

You also get solid ANC along with future-ready Bluetooth 6.0 support

Two other areas where the Nord Buds 4 Pro clearly have an edge over other wireless earbuds in this price range are Bluetooth 6.0 support and the ANC performance. The Nord Buds 4 Pro come with Bluetooth 6.0, which means lower latency and better battery efficiency (something I've already talked about enough).

You also get LHDC 5.0 codec support here, which allows high-resolution audio streaming at low latency with compatible devices. I've used the Nord Buds 4 Pro with both the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the OnePlus 15, and the LHDC 5.0 support made a noticeable difference while watching movies and streaming content.

Alongside Bluetooth 6.0, OnePlus claims up to 55 dB of ANC on the Nord Buds 4 Pro, and in my usage, it's been pretty solid, especially for the price. The highest ANC mode does feel a bit too aggressive at times, almost creating that slight suction or pressure effect in the ears. But for use cases like commuting on trains or flights where there's constant background noise, the ANC works really well and gets the job done.

The Nord Buds 4 Pro pack flagship features at a much lower price point

Priced at just Rs. 3,999 (~$43), the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro not only undercut most earbuds in this price range but even some in the flagship segment. Sure, they don't have the same premium build as more expensive options, but the core experience they deliver is excellent for the price.

Availability might be the only thing holding these earbuds back right now, as they're currently limited to India. That said, last year's Nord Buds Pro 3 eventually launched in other regions, including the U.S., so it would not be surprising to see OnePlus expand availability later this year.

There are still a couple of things I'd like OnePlus to improve, especially the bass-heavy sound profile, which I'm not entirely a fan of. I had to tweak the EQ in the earbuds' companion app to tone it down, but apart from that, these nail the core experience for the price, and OnePlus seems to have a solid, affordable winner on its hands.

What you need to know

• OnePlus India CEO Robin Liu has stepped down, with the company citing 'personal reasons' for his departure.
• The exit comes amid reports of internal struggles, despite OnePlus previously claiming operations were normal.
• A deleted post by tipster Yogesh Brar suggested OnePlus may be exiting key global markets.

Not all is going well for OnePlus, it seems, as the company's India CEO, Robin Liu, has stepped down.

OnePlus appears to be going through a turbulent phase right now. There were earlier reports suggesting the company isn't doing well and is being dismantled. Back in January, OnePlus India's CEO dismissed those rumours, stating that the company is "operating as usual and will continue to do so.'"

However, tipster Yogesh Brar later posted on X (in a now-deleted post) claiming the company is shutting down in key global markets, while the company's China business will continue to operate as usual.

Even though OnePlus has continued to deny these reports, the situation doesn't look entirely stable, especially with the India CEO now stepping down, something the company has officially confirmed.

The reason behind Robin Liu's exit is being cited as 'personal passions' and not linked to the company's performance. The brand said in a statement:

"We thank Robin for his contributions to OnePlus India. He moves on to pursue his personal passions, and we wish him the very best for his future endeavours. OnePlus India operations continue with local strategy and business continuity ensured."

Reports of Robin Liu's exit were first published by The Economic Times, which also claimed that he's currently serving his notice period, ending later this month. As of now, OnePlus India hasn't revealed who'll take over after his departure.

That said, the optics around OnePlus don't look great right now. The brand has been under pressure for the past few weeks, and Robin Liu's exit only adds to the concerns. The company says it's continuing to operate as usual, but this move, especially so soon after its earlier statements, raises questions.

Android Central's Take

Top executives come and go, that's fairly normal, but the timing of Robin Liu's exit feels questionable. A leadership change during a period of uncertainty doesn't inspire confidence. As someone who likes the brand, I hope OnePlus steadies things and gets back on track.

I just got my OnePlus 15 back from a co-worker who was testing the phone, and after setting it up, I was horrified by the new Recents multitasking UI. Not only was it a blatant iOS ripoff, but it was a worse design than what OnePlus has employed for years. I wanted the old look back, but I couldn't find it anywhere in the settings menu, even after searching for everything I thought it might be called.

Turns out, the option to change it back to the "flat" look is still there, but it's hidden for some absolutely bizarre reason. Most companies adopted the stacked tile look for Recents last year, a design that's a massive improvement over the garbage stock Android Recents UI, but one that's far worse than OnePlus's design, which I've long called the best multitasking UI on any phone.

Get the good task switcher back on any OnePlus phone running OxygenOS 16:

1. Open up the Recents UI by tapping the Recents key on your navigation bar or by swiping up on the home bar without taking your finger off the screen for a second.

2. Press and hold on the Close button.

3. Select Flat from the options up top.

After a bit more digging, I found out that this same settings menu can be found by pinching on the home screen, selecting home screen settings, then selecting Manage Apps at the bottom.

Either way, you get the job done; this setting re-enables the classic, blazing-fast OnePlus multitasking UI. If you ever want to "lock" an app in memory, you can also do it from this screen. That'll keep apps readily available in memory even if you have a bunch of stuff going on at once.

OnePlus's classic UI is best

For some reason, 2025 was the year that most Android manufacturers decided to adopt a split notification shade and ditch Google's awful multitasking UI for Apple's superior design. But, as is almost always the case, a third option would have been better to keep as the default.

Yes, that's right, the already default classic OnePlus multitasking UI was the best choice, yet OnePlus thought copying Apple would be preferable for anyone switching from an iPhone. If I had to give OnePlus any credit here, it's that Apple users aren't known for changing anything on their phones, so maybe choosing a familiar style wasn't a terrible option.

Thankfully, OnePlus didn't delete its superior UI; it just hid the UI away for the power users to find. If anything, I suppose we could think of this as a power user scavenger hunt. I just hate that OnePlus gave users the worst of two choices as the default, especially if they never know they can have something better without digging through layers of settings menus.

Why is the default UI better, you ask? The answer is down to speed. OnePlus has long heralded its phones as bastions of speed, and part of that was how easily they let you multitask between apps. The row of app icons at the bottom can be tapped and dragged, meaning you could quickly switch between 10 apps with a single swipe and tap.

That's monumentally better than any other UI design, which at most lets you switch between six apps without swiping or tapping. The new default OnePlus multitasking UI, which is now essentially identical to Samsung, Apple, Honor, and a swath of other companies, only lets you switch between two other apps without having to start swiping.

It's simply less efficient and can be annoying for power users who find themselves moving between multiple apps all throughout their day. Ironically, the real superior UI would be to meld the two options. Use the stacked cards so we can see what's next in line, and keep the bottom row of icons for faster switching. While I could dream about what's next, at least the classic UI is back in action.

What you need to know

• A rumor claims that the OnePlus Watch 4 has just passed through the EMVCo for its certification ahead of launch.
• The watch is rumored to debut with a 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED display, a 646mAh battery, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 SoC.
• OnePlus teased that it had a new watch on the way last year on its website; though the illustration was minimal, it gave the impression that OPPO's Watch S could be used as its base.

It's been a few months since rumors about the OnePlus Watch 4 graced our eyes, but this one suggests development has pushed it through a crucial hoop.

Over on X, tipster Sudhanshu suggests the Chinese OEM's next wearable was spotted receiving its EMVCo certification (via Android Police). This tipster claims the OnePlus Watch 4 could feature a 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 466x466 resolution. The device may be offered in a 47mm size variant, alongside Qualcomm's Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 SoC powering its functions.

Software-wise, Google's Wear OS 5 is suspected to power the Watch 4. If true, it would be quite the disappointment, considering the Watch 3 still has OS 5, with expectations of OS 6 to hit sometime in 2026. Internally, a 646mAh battery is rumored to keep the device going throughout the day, alongside an IP69 rating for water and dust resistance.

A concrete date for the OnePlus Watch 4 wasn't stated; however, the tipster speculates it could happen "soon," since the EMVCo certification surfaced.

Slow OS updates, but what about the watch itself?

The rumors allege that the OnePlus Watch 4 could feature the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 SoC. It's more likely that OnePlus is looking at Qualcomm's Snapdragon W5 series in general, since the W5 Gen 1 launched in 2022. It'd be very weird if the company opted for a chip that's four-years-old. Either way, we first started thinking about the Watch 4 in November when OnePlus teased a new watch on its website.

There was very little about the device to dive into, as we only had the website's illustration. However, there was speculation that OnePlus could use OPPO's Watch S as the foundation for its next model. At the time—and going by that thinking—it was theorized that the Watch 4 might feature a 1.46-inch, 3,000-nit AMOLED display. We're seeing a slightly higher display size with the rumors today, but things are still in the same ballpark.

The device's OS was also a talking point last year, as OnePlus was rather slow in rolling out Wear OS 5 to the Watch 2. Once it finally did (in January 2026, mind you), it caused nothing but problems for users. The OnePlus Watch 3 hasn't gotten Wear OS 6 yet, so if the Watch 4 arrives with OS 5, users might be in an uproar again.

What you need to know

• A report claims OnePlus is working on a new tablet that could debut "around" June 2026.
• Early rumors state it might feature a 12-inch display with a 12,000mAh or higher battery, and Qualcomm's affordable Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC.
• The Pad 3 launched in June last year, rocking Qualcomm's flagship chip, leaving us wondering where this alleged tablet for 2026 will sit.

This rumor feels like it's got the right timing, as a report claims OnePlus is working on a new tablet that could be upon us soon.

On X, Yogesh Brar posted some alleged details about the Chinese OEM's upcoming tablet, which could debut as soon as Q2 2026 (via Android Headlines). Supposedly, the "test model" for this tablet features a massive 12,000mAh battery, which Brar suggests could be slightly higher. Additionally, the device may receive a 12-inch display, a small difference from what consumers received last year.

Details are still incredibly sparse; however, Brar adds that the next OnePlus tablet could feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. It's not certain where this tablet could fall. User speculation on X brings up something we've noticed, too: this could be a more mid-range or "budget-focused" tablet, rather than a flagship.

The catalyst behind this would be this rumored usage of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a chip Qualcomm debuted specifically for affordable devices. Perhaps we're en route to learn more, as Brar claims this tablet could debut "around" June 2026.

A Pad or a Go?

Qualcomm's affordable phone chip isn't bad. When it was announced late last year, the company introduced it as a chip that flagship power without a flagship price. Stronger gaming performance, AI, and targeted performance gains were reported to bring affordable devices up a notch (or two). Qualcomm leveraged TSMC's 3nm process with Oryon CPU cores to get the heavy lifting done.

The OnePlus Pad 3 launched in June 2025, so the timing that Brar has alleged isn't that crazy. It's just the type of device—flagship or otherwise—that is the main question. This tablet features the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC with a 12,140mAh battery for $699. What's more interesting is that the tablet being rumored is slightly smaller than what OnePlus delivered last year. The Pad 3 offers a 13.2-inch display, and what's in the leaks today is a device with a 12-inch screen.

On the other hand, we have the more budget-oriented OnePlus Pad Go with an 11.3-inch display. Maybe we're in for a switch-up from OnePlus. Or, maybe, this is another Go-type of tablet (around the time that its flagship dropped last time, which is odd).

Android Central's Take

Outside of the usual suspects for tablets (Apple, Samsung), OnePlus' Pad 3 is a pretty sweet device. The tablet rocks a 12,140mAh battery with 80W wired charging (already nice), a decent 13-inch display, and damn thin build. Maybe its internal storage could be higher, but I'm sure OnePlus would risk making the tablet a little bigger than they probably wanted. Whatever, it's fine. The price-to-performance, as we mentioned in our review, is incredible. The Pad 3 was a contender against the usual suspects, and I suspect OnePlus can keep that going. I'm just wondering in what way it will with this alleged upcoming device.

What you need to know

• OnePlus and Oppo will increase smartphone prices in China starting March 16 due to rising component costs.
• All OnePlus phones will see price hikes, while Oppo will raise prices mainly for its lower and mid-range devices.
• Price increases are limited to China for now, but global markets could see similar hikes later.

It was only a matter of time before brands began increasing smartphone prices amid the ongoing memory shortage, and it looks like Oppo and OnePlus are the next to follow.

Samsung already increased the prices of the base Galaxy S26 and mid-tier Galaxy S26 Plus by $100 this year, and now OnePlus and Oppo appear to be following the same path. Both companies have announced that they will increase prices for some smartphones in China starting March 16, 2026.

The companies say that due to "rising costs of several key mobile phone components" and after "careful evaluation," they have decided to increase prices for certain models (via GizmoChina).

Under the change, all OnePlus phones will see a price increase, while Oppo will raise prices only for some of its lower and mid-range devices. Oppo's flagship Find and Reno series, along with the Oppo Pad lineup, are not affected for now.

The good news is that these price increases don't appear to apply globally yet. OnePlus confirmed to PCMag that it is not raising prices in the U.S. at the moment, stating, "We do not have any additional information to share at this time," though it did not rule out future increases.

Oppo does not sell its phones directly in the U.S., but its sister brand OnePlus offers several devices there, including the OnePlus 15R as well as the OnePlus 13 and 13R from last year. If the company eventually follows the same strategy globally, we could see price increases for those models, too.

Smartphone prices are expected to rise this year as the overall market continues to slow. Some analysts even fear global smartphone shipments could fall below levels seen during the COVID-19 period. It remains to be seen which other brands will follow with similar price increases.

Android Central's Take

This isn't exactly surprising. Rising memory and component costs are affecting the entire industry, so price increases were inevitable. The real question is how quickly these hikes will spread outside China.

Since OnePlus and Oppo still rely heavily on the Chinese market, it's possible the impact elsewhere may take some time. Still, the situation does not look particularly encouraging for smartphone buyers right now.

OnePlus phones are lauded for their extreme durability, fantastic battery life, and ultra-fast charging, along with an overall intuitive experience. There are tons of OS features that you can leverage for both productivity and fun, like Plus Mind for saving on-screen content in a digital vault, AI Writer, and lots of photo editing tools. But there's one lesser-known feature worth using that you probably haven't even tried: AI Recorder.

Similar to Pixel Recorder, you can record conversations, conferences, and even personal notes, then get real-time or post-transcription and AI-powered summaries. I have used it in so many scenarios, and it works wonderfully.

How I use OnePlus AI Recorder

As a journalist, I conduct phone and in-person interviews, and the OnePlus AI Recorder features available on the OnePlus 13, OnePlus 13R, OnePlus 15, and OnePlus 15R have come in handy in both scenarios. In person, I set up my camera and the OnePlus 15 to record the audio alongside camera capture. For phone calls, I use my laptop with a Zoom or Google Meet call or a second phone while recording from the OnePlus device.

I have also used it to record presentations and conferences. I attended an AI conference in Spain, for example, and set the phone beside me to record multiple days of a series of 30-minute-to-one-hour presentations. I could start and stop for each one, name the file, then move on to the next. I did the same for a presentation at my son's upcoming high school. Despite sitting several rows back, the audio was picked up crisply and clearly.

But my favorite feature is instant and post-recording AI transcription. You can get a full transcription of any audio recording in real-time or within minutes after. I used this for the aforementioned conference recordings, compiling everything into a Word document I could scan to search for quotes for my article.

I did the same after an interview, fine-tuning the AI transcription and correcting minor mistakes before publishing the Q&A. This is a great feature for briefings, meetings, and even brainstorming sessions among students or work teams as well. Generate an AI transcription, and you don't have to worry about taking notes.

Tips for using OnePlus AI Recorder

Keep in mind that when there are multiple speakers, OnePlus AI Recorder doesn't always get it right, sometimes labeling the same person as Speaker 1 and Speaker 2, for example. However, when the voices are distinct and captured accurately, you can display the text transcription for a single speaker rather than the entire conversation. This could be useful for group projects, even employee or student evaluations.

Seeing the real-time transcription on screen as you play back a recording makes it easy to follow along, ensure accuracy, and pinpoint key moments. It's so much easier than scrubbing through a recording's timeline with a slider to find the moment you want.

Summary, which extracts key moments, works well, but might miss key facts. However, it's great for meeting notes and brainstorming sessions. For an interview I did with a Samsung executive, he provided an outline of key points to answer, removing all the extraneous information. I still worked from the raw version of the transcript for publishing the Q&A, but this was a nice overview of the key points to which he spoke.

By comparison, Pixel Recorder can create AI summaries using Gemini as well, and they're far more succinct but also risk losing some of the flavor you might want. I would rather have a longer summary that I can edit down than a shorter one that's missing key details.

For example, when summarizing a recording of me reading segments of my OnePlus 15 review, Pixel Recorder left out key elements, such as mentions of my user experience and the overall summation at the end. By contrast, OnePlus Recorder captured everything, complete with subheads and point-form notes.

Longer recordings can naturally take longer to generate transcripts, and sometimes, it will time out, and you have to start over. But I was able to transcribe an entire series of sessions, some as long as 2.5 hours.

You can rename recordings manually or intelligently. I tried this by recording my voice reading the intro to this article. The name it provided after translation was "OnePlus AI Recorder: a Powerful, Overlooked Feature," which is pretty spot-on. For the Samsung Q&A, it named the recording "Samsung's Vision for Smartphone Innovation and AI." This makes organization effortless, especially if you're taking multiple recordings one after another and don't want to have to go back and organize everything after the fact.

OnePlus Recorder is among the best

Yes, OnePlus isn't the only phone manufacturer to offer an AI Recorder, but I have found it to be extremely effective and reliable, just one reason that its phones rank among the best Android phones. Pixel Recorder can achieve most of the same tasks, but OnePlus offers a cleaner organization of the conversations, breaking them up into digestible sections versus larger blocks of text. I also find the summaries to be more detailed without being bloated.

Even if I'm not using the OnePlus 15 as my primary phone, I always bring it along to work events and have it at my side for interviews or meetings for the purpose of using this single app. It's the perfect example of a way that AI can assist in productivity without replacing creativity.

What you need to know

• OnePlus president, Li Jie Louis, confirms the OnePlus 15T will feature a huge 7,500mAh battery, powered by its Glacier technology.
• The company also confirms that the device will be paired with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging, and users can play games while charging without generating too much heat.
• Rumors suggest the OnePlus 15T could debut sometime during the first half of 2026.

The OnePlus 15T has been an interesting floating around since before the flagship 15 launched last October, but the company's now confirmed a major upgrade.

On the Chinese social media site, Weibo, OnePlus' president, Li Jie Louis, announced that the OnePlus 15T will sport a major battery upgrade (via GSMArena). Their post confirms that the next compact phone will feature a massive 7,500mAh battery when it debuts. Li Jie Louis adds that the purpose behind this improvement is due to user feedback.

As previously stated, the OnePlus 15T is a "compact" phone with an (alleged) 6.3-inch display. According to Li Jie Louis, one of the biggest complaints users have with smaller phones is that they typically lack meaningful battery capacities. OnePlus confirms that the OnePlus 15T's battery sports Glacier battery tech, a piece of hardware is first debuted in 2024 (though the capacity was much lower than this).

The post adds that the phone will be equipped with 100W wired charging and "upgraded" 50W wireless capabilities. Li Jie Louis throws in that consumers can play games and charge their phones simultaneously without generating too much heat.

The Chilling Glacier

Rumors were sniffing this out last year, as reports claimed the OnePlus 15T would feature an upgrade that would put its flagship counterparts to shame. Not only is Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 rumored, but a larger battery was also highlighted. At the time, there wasn't a number attached to that speculation; however, the OnePlus 13T was mentioned, as it had a 6,260mAh battery.

That capacity beats the flagship 13 by 260mAh. Li Jie Louis mentions the OnePlus 15T's battery is empowered by its Glacier technology, which the company debuted in 2024. OnePlus states its Glacier batteries are built on a "silicon carbon anode" to vastly improve the charge (capacity) its batteries can hold. Swift 100W wired charging was promised for its Glacier battiers, alongside a claim that it would retain 80% of its health after four years.

The OnePlus 15T is expected to debut this year, perhaps during the first half of 2026.

Android Central's Take

OnePlus is delivering a battery capacity that I know I'd love to see on my current flagship phone—and it's an Ultra. I can understand why OnePlus' feedback has driven it to make this kind of upgrade. I've used smaller, compact phones before—mid-range devices—and their batteries were always just okay. You're probably sticking your phone on charge more times than you'd like. This is flagship-quality in a compact phone, which sounds like a win. More than that, I've been gaming on my phone more (just because I can) and it generates heat whenever I want to plug it in. What OnePlus is saying about its 15T? I'll take that any day.

Forget Samsung and Google, if you're searching for a great Android phone deal this Presidents' Day, there's one discount that's been sorely overlooked. The OnePlus 13, a fabulous (albeit last-gen) flagship phone, is currently a straight $200 off during Best Buy's Presidents' Day sale, knocking the price down to $799.99.

This is a rare discount on a device that we called "perfect" when it first hit North American shores back in early 2025, and even one year later, the OnePlus 13 still holds its own against contemporaries like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Google Pixel 10 Pro. 

Sure, the device has technically been supplanted by the newer OnePlus 15, but if you want a great deal on a great phone this Presidents' Day weekend, the OP13 is the one to beat. 

• See the full list of deals from Best Buy's Presidents' Day sale

✅Recommended if: you want an Android phone that offers outstanding performance, IP69 water-and-dust resistance, and incredible battery life. 

❌Skip this deal if: you're looking for something with a ton of AI features or long software support; you can afford the newer OnePlus 15 or upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra. 

The OnePlus 13 is a bit of a challenge to write about objectively because there's very little wrong with it. The Snapdragon 8 Elite processor is still one of the best chipsets in the business, the 6.8-inch OLED panel is simply a joy to behold, and the IP69 rating means that you could literally put the phone in your dishwasher without breaking it. The camera tech and battery life even rival the best devices from Samsung or Google. 

So what's the catch? Well, as I mentioned above, the OnePlus 13 is technically a last-gen device, and with the launch of the Galaxy S26 series rapidly approaching, you might want to wait and see what Samsung deals become available in the next few weeks. It's also worth mentioning that the OnePlus 13 offers fewer AI features than some recent devices, and you'll only get four years of OS updates, which pales in comparison to Samsung and Google's seven-year software promise. 

Still, if you want a phone that's just as powerful as the Galaxy S25 Ultra but doesn't cost nearly as much, the OnePlus 13 is an underrated gem, especially when you slap on a $200 Presidents' Day discount. 

There's no doubt that the OnePlus 15's display is among the best of any phone. The phone uses a custom BOE panel, and a key difference this year is that it goes down to 1 nit. And although the overall resolution is lower at 1.5K, that hasn't been an issue at all in regular use.

My favorite display feature is Adaptive Tone; it is similar to True Tone on the iPhone 17 Pro, adjusting the screen's color balance on the fly according to ambient light. Now, I normally prefer adjusting the colors manually, but I wanted to try out the feature, and I'm glad I did — it made using the device much easier, and I didn't have to do any tweaking on my own.

Although OnePlus has a standard Eye Comfort mode that introduces a yellowish tint, I found Adaptive Tone to do a better job while outdoors and in general use throughout the day, and it made a noticeable difference in how I used the phone.

What is Adaptive Tone?

While Adaptive Tone isn't new — it debuted on the OnePlus 13 — I used it extensively on the OnePlus 15, and while it isn't quite as accurate as True Tone, it is one of the better implementations on Android. The idea with the feature is to deliver consistent colors in any lighting condition, and while there are situations where you get a similar yellow tint as the Eye Comfort mode, I found it to have better color accuracy most of the time.

Note that you'll need to use one of the other; enabling Eye Comfort switches off Adaptive Tone, and in my use, I found the latter to do a better job over the course of the day.

The display is fully flat, and it has symmetric bezels on all sides, giving it a cleaner look. As is usually the case with OnePlus, I didn't see any lag or slowdowns when using the OnePlus 15, and the phone is optimized very well — and it is continuing to get regular updates, having just gotten the January 2026 patch.

The panel itself has standout color vibrancy, and although it doesn't get as bright as the Pixel 10 Pro XL, it is definitely better than what Samsung manages on its devices. I like that you get plenty of features to optimize the display; you can toggle a setting to upscale images and videos, adjust the screen resolution between Standard (2354x1080) and High (2772x1272), and tweak the refresh rate as needed.

On that note, while OnePlus advertises the device as having 165Hz, you'll only ever see it in select games; otherwise, you get the same 120Hz refresh as most other devices in this category. Additionally, you get motion cues that assist with motion fatigue if you're in a moving car (the feature is located in Accessibility).

How to set up Adaptive Tone

Enabling Adaptive Tone is about as easy as it gets, and you can do so by heading into the settings of your OnePlus 15:

1. Navigate to Settings.
2. Go to Display & brightness.
3. Scroll to Adaptive Tone and select the toggle to On.

As I outlined above, you can have Adaptive Tone or Eye Comfort enabled, and in my testing, I found Adaptive Tone to deliver better colors throughout the day, and it switches to a yellowish tint in low-light situations, mimicking what you get with the regular Eye Comfort features anyway.

The OnePlus 15 has a lot going for it, whether it's the massive 7,300mAh battery, powerful internals, or the fact that it doesn't cost as much as its Google and Samsung rivals. While I'm not a fan of the OnePlus 15 cameras — I think the sensors should have been better, and I'm annoyed at the missing Hasselblad integration — the rest of the phone is decent enough, particularly if you're in North America, where there's a distinct shortage of good phones.

What you need to know

• A new leak sheds light on the potential specs of the OnePlus 15 successor.
• The OnePlus 16 is tipped to feature a 1.5K BOE OLED screen with a 240Hz refresh rate.
• A rumored 9,000mAh battery (using new silicon-carbon tech) paired with 120W wired charging targets multi-day life without bulk.

For the past few years, OnePlus has been pushing its luck with specs, but if the latest rumors are true, the brand is ready to stop playing it safe. After the OnePlus 15 faced heat for downsizing its camera sensors and prioritizing gaming over being a well-rounded phone, the OnePlus 16 looks set to fix that by going all out on hardware.

To put things in perspective, the OnePlus 15 had strong performance, but its camera hardware was a downgrade from the OnePlus 13. This disappointed fans who wanted a “Pro” experience without paying for a Pro model. Now, a leak from OnePlus Club suggests the company is shifting from small improvements to aiming for top-tier hardware (via Android Headlines).

The biggest change is on the front of the phone. According to the leak, it will have a flat 1.5K BOE X5 OLED screen with a 240Hz refresh rate. That’s twice the usual standard and even higher than most gaming phones. To handle this, OnePlus is expected to use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, a new chip from Qualcomm that hasn’t been released yet. The phone is also rumored to include next-generation LPDDR6 RAM.

On the back, OnePlus is rumored to add two 200MP cameras. We’re talking about a 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP5 for the main shooter and another 200MP sensor for the periscope telephoto lens. This would be a big jump from the 50MP cameras we’ve seen recently and could even bring telephoto macro features.

Battery breakthrough

The battery could be another standout feature. Instead of the usual 5,000mAh, the OnePlus 16 is rumored to have a huge 9,000mAh battery. With 120W wired and 50W wireless charging, this large battery suggests OnePlus wants a phone that lasts for days without making it bulky, using high-density silicon-carbon technology.

Other bits and bobs from the rumor mill hint at dual coaxial speakers, an improved haptic motor, enhanced fingerprint tech, and an IP69 water resistance rating. All of these point to OnePlus aiming for a true flagship experience in every area.

The OnePlus 16 is expected to launch in China in the fourth quarter of 2026, with a global release likely to follow. While these specs may seem over the top, they show that OnePlus wants to move beyond being called a “flagship killer” and become the flagship that others have to beat.

Android Central's Take

To be honest, a 240Hz screen on a phone seems like overkill since most apps won’t take advantage of that speed. Still, I appreciate seeing the 'Never Settle' attitude return to OnePlus hardware. After the OnePlus 15 felt too much like an Oppo rebrand, I’m truly excited to see them take bold steps again. If they can fit a 9,000mAh battery into a phone that still feels comfortable to use, this could be my next daily device.

What you need to know

• OnePlus confirms its recent anti-rollback restrictions were temporary and will be removed in an upcoming software update.
• The restrictions blocked software downgrades and custom ROM installs on devices like the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 13.
• OnePlus says the move was meant to strengthen security, though it has not explained why the change was needed.

OnePlus has now confirmed that the anti-rollback restrictions it recently implemented on select devices were only temporary and that things will return to normal soon.

OnePlus has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. Reports suggested the company was being "dismantled" and struggling heavily in some markets, alongside news that OnePlus had implemented anti-rollback measures on devices like the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 13.

These restrictions prevented users from downgrading software or installing custom ROMs and were enforced at a hardware level, leaving users with no option to roll back their devices.

Thankfully, the company has now confirmed that these measures are not permanent and will be reversed. In a statement to Android Authority, OnePlus said it had "temporarily paused the ability to downgrade" and will be restoring that functionality in its next routine software update.

OnePlus backtracks on blocking software downgrades

For users who are "looking to downgrade their build can contact OnePlus after sales channels directly." The company also noted that the move was intended to strengthen device security, although it has not shared specific details explaining the change.

That said, this is good news for OnePlus users and the custom ROM community. OnePlus says users will be able to downgrade their devices again with the next update, though it has not shared a timeline yet, meaning it could still take a month or two before the change fully rolls out.

Android Central's Take

OnePlus finally seems to have come to its senses, and it is good to see the company allowing users to downgrade their devices again. Implementing such changes without clearly informing customers has always felt questionable, especially since we still do not know why the restrictions were introduced in the first place.

Thankfully, OnePlus has reversed course, and users should soon be able to use their devices the way they want again.

While the Galaxy S26 series is still a few weeks away, other brands have already beaten Samsung to the punch by launching their flagship smartphones. We already have several Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5-powered flagships on the market, including the iQOO 15, Realme GT 8 Pro, Xiaomi 17, and more.

Honor recently unveiled the Magic 8 Pro with a flagship-grade set of specs and features, putting it head-to-head with rivals like the OnePlus 15. It brings a large display, a capable camera setup, a big battery, and long-term software support, making it a serious contender in the premium segment.

Both phones offer a very similar overall package, but if you are deciding between the Honor Magic 8 Pro and the OnePlus 15, which one makes more sense for you? Let us take a closer look at how the two flagship phones compare.

Honor Magic 8 Pro vs. OnePlus 15: Pricing and availability

Honor unveiled the Magic 8 Pro in its home market of China on October 15, 2025. The flagship later made its way to global and European markets on January 8, 2026. Like previous Honor phones, however, the Magic 8 Pro is not launching in the U.S. or Canada.

Pricing starts at £ 1,099, and the Honor Magic 8 Pro is available in a single configuration with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The phone is also available for pre-order in select European markets, including Germany and Spain. It comes in three color options: Sunrise Gold, Sky Cyan, and Black.

The OnePlus 15 made its global debut on November 13, 2025, and unlike the Magic 8 Pro, it is available for purchase in the U.S., albeit a little later than its initial launch. The OnePlus 15 is also sold in India, Europe, and the UK.

Pricing for the OnePlus 15 starts at $899 / £849 / ₹72,999 for the base variant with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The higher-end model costs $100 more and bumps the configuration up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The OnePlus 15 comes in three color options as well: Infinite Black, Ultra Violet, and Sand Storm.

Honor Magic 8 Pro vs. OnePlus 15: Design and display

OnePlus used to have a distinct design language, but that identity has slowly faded, and the OnePlus 15 makes that especially clear. The phone looks eerily similar to most 2026 flagships, with a flat-edged design, rounded corners, a clean back, and a square-ish camera module in the top-left corner.

It looks very similar to the OnePlus 13s, just larger, and most of the distinctive design elements that once set OnePlus apart are now gone.

The Honor Magic 8 Pro, on the other hand, builds on the design language Honor established with the Magic 7 Pro. It follows the familiar slab-style flagship design with flat edges and curved corners, but both the front and back glass subtly curve at the edges, making the phone more comfortable to hold. The camera module on the back is centered towards the top and circular.

Both phones are also quite similar in size and dimensions, and they weigh almost the same as well, with the Honor Magic 8 Pro coming in at 219 grams and the OnePlus 15 at 211 grams.

One area where both phones shine is durability. The Honor Magic 8 Pro and OnePlus 15 both come with IP68 and IP69K ratings, meaning they can handle dust, water immersion, and even high-pressure water sprays.

The difference starts to show up in the type of materials used on both phones, though. OnePlus uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for display protection, while Honor relies on its in-house NanoCrystal Shield. On the back, OnePlus uses glass on some variants, whereas the Honor Magic 8 Pro uses a plastic-reinforced material, which feels slightly out of place on a flagship phone.

The differences start to narrow once we move to the front. The Honor Magic 8 Pro features a 6.71-inch LTPO OLED display with a refresh rate up to 120Hz and 4320Hz PWM dimming for better eye comfort. It supports Dolby Vision and HDR Vivid playback and can reach up to 6,000 nits of peak brightness during HDR content, though regular high brightness mode tops out at around 1,800 nits.

The OnePlus 15, meanwhile, comes with a slightly larger 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display that also supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HDR Vivid. One advantage the OnePlus 15 has is its higher 165Hz refresh rate, which gives it an edge in supported games, while the Honor Magic 8 Pro caps out at 120Hz. That said, the OnePlus 15 also maxes out at around 1,800 nits in high brightness mode, putting both phones on similar footing for outdoor visibility.

Honor Magic 8 Pro vs. OnePlus 15: Hardware and specs

Being 2026 flagships, you can expect top-end specs from both the OnePlus 15 and the Honor Magic 8 Pro, and that is exactly what they deliver. Both phones are powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, which is easily among the fastest and most efficient processors available right now for Android flagships.

Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, both phones also support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. In terms of memory and storage, the Honor Magic 8 Pro comes in a single configuration with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The base variant of the OnePlus 15 also offers 12GB of RAM but only 256GB of storage, while the higher-end model bumps this up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

When it comes to battery and charging, both OnePlus and Honor have adopted silicon-carbon battery technology, allowing them to pack larger batteries into slimmer designs. The Magic 8 Pro houses a sizable 7,100mAh battery, just slightly smaller than the OnePlus 15's 7,300mAh cell.

Both phones support extremely fast charging, with the Honor Magic 8 Pro offering up to 100W and the OnePlus 15 pushing it to 120W.

In real-world use, both phones should comfortably last a full day on a single charge, and topping them up should be quick regardless of how heavy your usage is. Any noticeable differences in battery life will likely come down to software optimization rather than hardware.

Speaking of which, let us talk about the software. The Honor Magic 8 Pro ships with Android 16 out of the box, layered with Honor's own MagicOS 10. Like previous versions, MagicOS 10 looks eerily similar to iOS, with Honor borrowing quite a few UI elements for its own interface.

There is also no shortage of pre-installed Honor apps and bloatware on the Magic 8 Pro. The upside here is long-term support, as Honor is promising seven major OS updates for the phone, which is significantly more than the four major OS upgrades that the OnePlus 15 offers.

The OnePlus 15, on the other hand, runs OxygenOS 16 based on Android 16 out of the box. Unlike Honor, OnePlus relies heavily on Google apps for most core functions, which results in a much cleaner and smoother software experience, in my opinion. Both phones also come loaded with a wide range of AI features, so you are not missing out on that front, regardless of which one you choose.

Honor Magic 8 Pro vs. OnePlus 15: Cameras

Moving on to the camera systems, you expect flagship phones from Chinese smartphone makers to come with capable camera hardware, and both the OnePlus 15 and Honor Magic 8 Pro largely deliver on that front.

On the Honor Magic 8 Pro, you get a 50MP primary camera with an f/1.6 aperture, multi-directional PDAF, and OIS. This is paired with a 50MP ultra-wide sensor and a massive 200MP telephoto lens offering 3.7x optical zoom. Up front, Honor includes a 50MP selfie camera alongside a ToF 3D depth sensor.

Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich went hands-on with the Magic 8 Pro cameras and came away impressed with the results. You can check out the camera samples from the Magic 8 Pro in his coverage.

The OnePlus 15, meanwhile, features a triple-50MP camera setup. This includes a 50MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, multi-directional PDAF, and OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom. On the front, the OnePlus 15 uses a 32MP selfie camera.

While the OnePlus 15 no longer carries Hasselblad tuning, replacing it with OnePlus' own DetailMax Engine, the cameras remain quite strong overall. We've also extensively tested the cameras on the OnePlus 15, and you can check out full camera samples in our detailed OnePlus 15 camera review.

Honor Magic 8 Pro vs. OnePlus 15: Which should you buy?

Choosing between the OnePlus 15 and the Honor Magic 8 Pro largely comes down to availability. As mentioned earlier, the Magic 8 Pro is currently limited to a handful of global markets and is not available in North America, including the U.S. and Canada. The OnePlus 15, on the other hand, is available across most major global markets.

If both phones are available where you live, then it really comes down to personal preference. Both devices offer some of the best specs and features you can get on an Android flagship right now and should comfortably last you for years. They both pack large batteries with extremely fast charging, capable displays, and solid multimedia experiences, so you are not missing out either way.

The real difference lies in software. If you prefer a cleaner, faster version of Android, the OnePlus 15 is the safer bet, though it is limited to four major OS updates. MagicOS 10 on the Honor Magic 8 Pro looks heavily inspired by iOS, and if that does not bother you, it is a compelling option thanks to its longer software support, with up to seven years of major updates.

If you're looking for one of the best Android phone experiences of 2026, I just found a OnePlus 15 deal that should scratch the itch. Head to Best Buy and grab the unlocked phone today and you'll be eligible for up to $600 of trade-in credit. As if that wasn't enough, Best Buy will also throw in a free $100 gift card, just for kicks.

I don't need to be a fortune teller to tell you that the OnePlus 15 is certain to rank among the best Android phones of 2026, and if you're able to claim the max trade-in credit from this deal, getting the device for $399.99 with a $100 gift card seems like a no-brainer. 

A nearly-perfect phone gets a nearly-perfect discount

✅Recommended if: you simply want one of the best flagship phones on the market, period; you value battery life, performance, and durability in your devices; you have a newer device to trade in.

❌Skip this deal if: you want a phone with Qi2 magnets or a ton of AI software features; you can get a better deal through your wireless carrier. 

The OnePlus 15 improves upon its "perfect" predecessor in a few key areas, coming complete with a gorgeous and eye-friendly 165Hz OLED display, a durable construction with a IP69K rating, and outstanding camera quality that could easily challenge the best devices from Samsung or Google. 

Under the hood, the phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, plus you get 16GB of RAM and a ridiculous 7,300mAh battery that will last up to three days on a single charge. As our 4.5/5-star review stated, the OnePlus 15 features "the fastest processor, the fastest charging, the best battery life, the best OLED, and the best ingress protection rating of any flagship phone you'll find today". Enough said. 

So what's the catch? Well, the OnePlus 15 doesn't have Qi2 charging support, there's no alert slider, and the AI features are a bit lacking compared to other modern flagships. Those issues are all pretty minor, so I'd say the main barrier to entry with this deal is the trade-in requirement.

Best Buy can be a bit stingy and arbitrary with its trade-in credit. Sending in the OnePlus 13 or Galaxy S25 Ultra, for instance, will only land you $300 and $400 of credit, respectively, while devices like the Google Pixel 10 Pro will earn you the max amount.

Needless to say, it's worth using Best Buy's trade-in tool to see how much you can get. Play your cards right and you could get one of the year's best phones at a budget phone price, AND $100 of free Best Buy cash to use on whatever you'd like. Not too shabby for a device of this caliber, if you ask me.

The average person living in the United States doesn't buy smartphones like people in most of the rest of the world. While you can buy an unlocked phone from great retailers like Amazon or Best Buy, the vast, vast majority of U.S. customers get their phones directly from carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon.

Because of this behavior, companies like OnePlus that don't play ball with carriers often find themselves on the losing side of market share in one of the world's largest smartphone markets. Whether or not you believe rumors that OnePlus is winding down its global presence, it's clear that the company's market share has dwindled over the years.

Thankfully, OnePlus has publicly declared that it's not calling it quits. Still, I worry about the potential, as OnePlus has been one of my safe havens as someone sensitive to flickering LEDs and PWM dimming. OnePlus is the only company in the country making flagship phones that adhere to IEEE standards for LED flicker, and it's starting to feel a little like doomsday for folks like me.

Those of us left behind

A few months ago, I was introduced to Harry Metzler, a musician based in New Jersey who has struggled with PWM sensitivity since contracting COVID in July 2022. After having to cancel a European tour for his band Ill-Advised following its seventh album release, Metzler realised his new iPhone was impossible to focus on, and certain LED lights actually caused his left eye to involuntarily shut.

That's about the time he found out about PWM dimming, a dimming method used by some LED lights, OLED displays, and other LED-based gadgets. Instead of dimming like a traditional light source, where voltage is simply reduced to produce a dimmer light output, LEDs that use PWM dimming rapidly turn on and off several hundred times per second to fool your brain into seeing a brighter or dimmer image.

The result is often described as "seizure-like" or "concussive" symptoms in people who suffer from sensitivity. Metzler finds that his iPhone 13 is currently the most comfortable model, partly owing to that phone's reduced brightness level when compared to newer iPhones.

Apple's iPhone 17 family launched a new PWM-sensitive accessibility setting that helps some PWM-sensitive users, but it's not a be-all-end-all solution. Some phones, like the Google Pixel 10 Pro, have taken up a similar idea, but the fact of the matter is that these brands have been slow to make even small changes, while brands like OnePlus responded to problems with robust solutions years ago.

The OnePlus 15's display, for example, is currently the most eye-friendly flagship OLED display you can buy in North America. The more budget-friendly OnePlus 15R's display is even better than that for flicker-sensitive people, and doesn't compromise quality to ensure all users can enjoy it.

But it's not just PWM dimming that's at fault, either. Temporal dithering (TD) is another problem that's reared its head as 10 and 12-bit displays have become more commonplace, and it's causing just as many issues as PWM dimming for the same reason.

TD is a tactic used by manufacturers to artificially "deepen" colors on a display by flickering a pixel's colors back and forth, creating a color that doesn't exist by tricking your brain. This is often at 15-30FPS, the same flicker rate that causes epileptic seizures.

"Since my second COVID infection in 2024, I've been unable to use any Apple laptop," Metzler told me. The link between flicker sensitivity and COVID infection is something often correlated in the PWM-sensitive community, and I realized that my own sensitivity to PWM dimming also coincided with my first COVID infection. It's what led to led me to first write about how my phone was making me sick in May 2023.

Metzler told me he realized his "eye twitching problem" was caused by dithering, which was introduced in a Mac OS update. He identified the problem by using a program called SwitchResX on his Mac, which forces the OS to stop using dithering. It helped solve Metzler's problem when using older Apple hardware, but newer laptops with M4 silicon no longer allow this setting.

OnePlus may not make laptops, but it does make several tablets and phones that don't employ dithering or low-Hz PWM dimming. It's a fact that means some users must use a non-Apple, Google, or Samsung-branded device, or be faced with debilitating health issues on a daily basis.

Metzler told me, "I've talked to the Apple Store management, and they've put me in touh with corporate, but it's just this round and round and round and round thing. And, I'm at the point where, you know, we just kind of feel like there's no choice but to bring awareness to this issue."

The biggest problem with both PWM dimming and temporal dithering is that you usually can't physically see these things in action — which is the entire reason they're implemented in such a way — and that means most people simply don't know they exist. People get headaches and other pain from their devices and don't understand why.

The glacial pace of evolution from the largest companies is a bad fit for users with specific needs, and that's where a company like OnePlus comes in.

If OnePlus were to exit the market — again, particularly the U.S. market — it would mean the only real alternatives for flicker-sensitive people are Motorola, Nothing, or one of the many E Ink phones that have entered the market over the past year. But none of those phones are flagship-level, and they all come with their own problems, as well.

Motorola doesn't offer some of its best flagships in the U.S., and Nothing has yet to launch a proper flagship phone. Each of the company's mid-range and entry-level phones is often great for PWM-sensitive people, but many of Motorola's LCD-based phones are a bad fit because they employ dithering. Likewise, while E Ink phones might be totally flicker-free thanks to E Ink technology, almost all use lower-end specs, at best.

My hope is that people like Metzler, who are stuck using Apple devices for job-related reasons, will soon see relief as companies like Apple and Samsung adopt tech from companies like OnePlus. We need these kinds of companies to stick around to serve potentially niche requirements, especially in this day and age, where daily life is quickly becoming impossible without a smartphone.

What you need to know

• A developer reported that OnePlus has implemented an "anti-rollback mechanism" in v16.0.3.501 of ColorOS.
• This mechanism, if a user attempts to downgrade their OS or flash a custom ROM, bricks their phone, like the OnePlus 13, 13T, and 15.
• Recent happenings concerning OnePlus include a report that said it was being "dismantled," but the company says that is "false."

OnePlus users are waking up to a warning: do not attempt to rollback your device, lest you risk a bricked phone.

A thread amongst developers on the XDA forums this week "confirmed" that OnePlus has implemented "anti-rollback" procedures on a few devices (via 9to5Google). According to the original post, this anti-rollback procedure or "fuse" applies to OnePlus phones featuring a Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. More specifically, this applies to the company's recent v16.0.3.501 ColorOS update for the OnePlus 13, 13T, and 15.

The user details a few "consequences" for attempting a downgrade or rollback. Their post states that this OS update makes it impossible for users to rollback, as their device will undergo a "hard brick." This will reportedly occur if the user tries to flash a previous version of ColorOS, OxygenOS, or even a custom ROM.

Custom ROMs are the other side of this, which, while it doesn't affect a majority of Android users, some get down with the ROMs. The user reports that after the 16.0.3.501 ColorOS update, flashing any ROM will brick your device, and "you cannot unbrick" the phone. The thread highlights one OnePlus 13 user who had to obtain a new motherboard just to be able to use their device again.

The developer suggests dodging the 16.0.3.501 update if your device receives it. Of course, this only applies to users who actively use custom ROMs and may be interested in rollbacks, but this is where things get hazy. The developer reports that this anti-rollback mechanism has only been applied to OnePlus' ColorOS, not newer OxygenOS versions. Users overseas, such as in the U.S., will have the latter, but there's nothing that says OnePlus isn't going to apply this mechanism to OxygenOS, too.

Changes at OnePlus

OnePlus has been all over the headlines recently, as there was one rumor about its upcoming 16 flagship model. Tipsters alleged that the OnePlus 16 is in the works; however, it might be restricted to the Chinese market. If true, the device would ditch its global markets, like the EU and the U.S.

On the other hand, there was a massive rumor that said OnePlus was going to be "dismantled." What came to light several hours ago was the direct opposite. OnePlus called the reports "false." On social media, the company's CEO of OnePlus India, Robin Liu, said, "I wanted to address some misinformation that has been circulating about OnePlus India and its operations. We’re operating as usual and will continue to do so. Never Settle." It also seems as though OnePlus is restructuring its mentality, looking toward a future where it shies away from multiple launches to focus on "crucial devices."

OnePlus may not have a sizable market share, but when it comes to mind share, there isn't another Android phone manufacturer that gets quite as much attention. A lot of that has to do with the brand's beginnings and its focus on enthusiasts, and although that OnePlus no longer exists, its echoes remain even under the stewardship of OPPO.

A new report indicated the brand is being dismantled, but that isn't quite the case. If anything, OnePlus is entering a new era under OPPO, one where it is laser-focused on its portfolio and positioning. Instead of launching several products across tiers, the manufacturer will now focus its attention on a few crucial devices — that's one of the reasons we haven't seen a Nord launch in the U.S. in over two and a half years, even though the budget phones outsell the flagships by a factor of ten.

That's also why the OnePlus 15 and 15R didn't stand out quite as much as their Chinese rivals, with the cameras in particular being a downgrade from the previous generation. OnePlus still has a foothold in North America — it is still the only Chinese manufacturer other than Motorola to do so — and the brand will likely continue to release its flagship and mid-range R devices in the region.

Outside of that, though, there won't be much in the way of launches. And when it comes to other countries, OnePlus India CEO Robin Liu confirmed that there isn't any change in how OnePlus is conducting its business in the region:

As with so much that's going on in the world today, the change in strategy is likely motivated by political headwinds between the U.S. and China. The way I see it, OPPO doesn't want OnePlus to draw too much attention to itself (lest it invite scrutiny into the broader business), so while you'll still get OnePlus phones in the U.S., don't count on it having a retail presence — that boat has sailed with the failed T-Mobile collaboration.

OnePlus North America told Android Central that "OnePlus North America continues to operate, with full guarantee of users’ after-sales support, software updates, and rights commitments."

But this doesn't mean OnePlus itself is going away — far from it. The brand isn't changing how it's doing business in India, and although sales in the country declined last year, it continues to have a sizable presence. The manufacturer had a glitzy launch event for the OnePlus 15R in India, where it booked an entire palace, and its Nord 5 and Nord CE5 devices continue to sell really well in India's mid-range category.

We asked Jitesh Ubrani, Research Manager of Worldwide Device Trackers at IDC, if he thought there was any validity to OnePlus closing its doors or winding down the brand. He told us, "I certainly haven’t heard anything along these lines from the grapevine. However, given OnePlus’ trajectory in the past few years, it would be plausible that OPPO is planning on winding down the brand. OnePlus’ share has been declining, marketing spend seemingly dwindling, and it certainly has pivoted away from being the challenger brand that it set out to be when it first launched."

"Other established brands have successfully fended off OnePlus across all channels and markets," Ubrani continued. "Think about Pixel, Galaxy FE series, and other similar products which offer great hardware and lower prices than many flagships. If the story holds true, it would be the natural conclusion of OPPO slowly chipping away at OnePlus’ operating budget, starting with when they decided to combine codebases for ColorOS and OxygenOS."

There's no doubting that OnePlus doesn't have any of the freedom it enjoyed as a standalone entity under BBK. The company doesn't have a distinct design, camera, or software teams, and the OxygenOS 16 software you get on the OnePlus 15 is identical to ColorOS 16 on the OPPO Find X9 Pro — the only difference is the change in name.

That said, OPPO isn't willing to squander the cachet OnePlus built up in India over the course of the last decade. It may be rethinking how to position OnePlus as a manufacturer in the U.S. and U.K., but as far as I can see, it's staying the course in India and China — its two biggest markets by an overwhelming margin. India itself is responsible for well over half of OnePlus's annual sales, so it makes sense that the manufacturer is staying the course in the region.

The OnePlus 13 was a standout phone that earned a rare 5/5 review score from Android Central, and delivered more at a lower price point than even the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. OnePlus proceeded to lose its way with the OnePlus 15, leaning too hard into battery life and gaming performance at the expensive of durability. The OnePlus 13 was a well-rounded phone that excelled in performance, display quality, camera hardware, and battery life, but the OnePlus 15 tossed that identity aside.

The OnePlus 15's specs were perplexing because the OnePlus 13 was already a long-lasting flagship phone. It had a 6,000mAh battery capacity with support for fast charging and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. Of course, many of us won't say no to more battery, but expanding capacity shouldn't come at the expense of other features. In this case, the OnePlus 15's gargantuan 7,300mAh battery capacity and gaming focus did come at the expensive of other areas, like display quality and camera performance.

OnePlus might not be learning from its mistake, if this OnePlus 16 rumor is any indication. A post from OnePlus Club on X (formerly Twitter) claims that the OnePlus 15's successor will sport a next-generation Glacier Battery with an even higher capacity. Specifically, the rumor claims the OnePlus 16 will have a capacity "approaching 9,000mAh." Details are sparse, and it's unclear what the exact battery capacity of the OnePlus 16 might be.

However, if true, the OnePlus 16's rumored high-capacity battery could spell bad news for the rest of the flagship smartphone.

OnePlus uses a few tricks to cram high-capacity battery cells into relatively small smartphones. The brand employs what it calls a Glacier Battery, which is a high-density, silicon-carbon battery developed in collaboration with CATL, a leading battery manufacturer. This technology helps OnePlus fit large batteries into small packages while managing thermals. OnePlus also splits large overall batteries into smaller dual-cell designs on phones like the OnePlus 15.

But even when using silicon-carbon battery chemistry and Glacier Battery designs, there are limits to how small a smartphone battery can get at high capacities. If the OnePlus 16's battery capacity will truly approach 9,000mAh in size, it's reasonable to expect these cells to take up more space inside the phone. It's possible that OnePlus might have to make similar compromises on the OnePlus 16 to hit this target as it did on the OnePlus 15 this generation.

It's very early in the OnePlus 16 rumor cycle, and everything is up in the air. Recent leaks have pointed to the OnePlus 16 course-correcting OnePlus' mistakes with the OnePlus 15. It has already been billed as the most well-rounded OnePlus phone in years. The OnePlus 16's rumored ~9,000mAh battery capacity could come in natural conflict with that possibility.

The OnePlus 16 needs more than battery life and performance

To be clear, if the OnePlus 16 offers fast performance, long battery life, stellar camera quality, stylish design, and more, I'll have little reason to complain. However, that sounds like the perfect smartphone, and devices are never perfect. There are always compromises, like how the OnePlus 15 sacrificed display resolution and camera quality in exchange for better stability while gaming, higher refresh rates, and longer battery life.

The OnePlus 15's trade-offs were uninspiring for a few reasons. Notably, the OnePlus 15's hallmark support of 165Hz refresh rates is only available on a few apps. If you don't happen to use the apps and games that support the ultra-high refresh rates, the OnePlus 15 gives you worse display quality without any of the benefits. The phone also has a tendency to run warm in certain situations, which isn't ideal for a gaming-focused flagship.

While we've tested the OnePlus 15's cameras to perform well in many cases, it's hard to justify paying more for less, and that's what OnePlus is asking customers to do here. The OnePlus 15's camera hardware is a downgrade compared to the OnePlus 13, and there's no Hasselblad processing. The OnePlus DetailMax engine is solid, but some OnePlus fans will miss the old style of image processing.

With these shortcomings in mind, it's very easy to make the case that the OnePlus 13 is a more well-rounded smartphone than the OnePlus 15. It's proof that battery life isn't everything. If the OnePlus 16 indeed plans to increase battery capacity by a significant margin yet again, the company must ensure this doesn't hurt the phone's overall versatility.

What you need to know

• Rumors claim that the OnePlus 16 might ditch global markets this year, though the reason is unclear.
• Posts on social media suggest the company could keep its next flagship for the Chinese market, leaving everyone else out.
• OnePlus' CEO, Pete Lau, was reportedly facing an arrest warrant after being accused of "illegally hiring engineers from Taiwan."

There are many ways to start a week, but rumors that OnePlus' next flagship might skip most of the world are a serious surprise (if true).

Quite early this morning (Jan 19), a post by OnePlus Club on X alleges that the Chinese company might shy away from the majority of the world (via Android Headlines). The post states that the OnePlus 16 might "be exclusive to China only" this year. It goes without saying that regions like the U.K. and the U.S., including India, would go without their yearly dose of OnePlus if this is accurate.

This post spurred conversations on X in the replies. More importantly, one user points out a similar rumor coming from the well-known tipster, Yogesh Brar.

Brar's recent post on X goes over some alleged OnePlus 16 camera specs, which we've seen before. However, Brar ends it with a cryptic "but..." after saying these specs are for OnePlus' next flagship device. Again, users are anticipating that the company could skip out on its global markets for its next phone launch.

There is nothing confirmed by OnePlus right now, so take these rumors at face value until something certain comes to light.

As the publication reiterates, the OnePlus 16 is expected to debut later this year, potentially in Q4, which would line up with the OEM's typical cadence.

Curious about the cause

The OnePlus 15 debuted toward the end of October for the Chinese market first. The device marked what's considered to be a significant shift in battery and power. It features a 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED display and a redesigned camera housing on its back panel, which holds a triple lens setup. The company even equipped it with a massive 7,300mAh battery.

A phone's battery, efficiency, and charging are all hallmarks for OnePlus, so while the capacity turned heads, it's hardly a surprise that it went this route.

The OnePlus 15 was announced for a U.S. launch a few days later, as the company confirmed it would debut on November 13 (globally, too). It's not clear if the arrest warrant situation that the company's CEO, Pete Lau, is going through is the cause of this (though it's all still rumors).

For now, we have some early OnePlus 16 rumors that claim the device could feature a 200MP sensor and a periscope telephoto lens. Going back to Brar's post, the device could match this 200MP lens with two 50MP cameras, one of which is the telephoto with 3.5x zoom.

What you need to know

• Taiwanese prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for OnePlus CEO Pete Lau over alleged illegal hiring practices in Taiwan.
• Authorities claim OnePlus hired over 70 Taiwanese engineers without approval, violating Taiwan's Cross-Strait business laws.
• The report alleges OnePlus used a Hong Kong shell company to run unauthorized R&D operations in Taiwan.
• OnePlus says that its business operations continue as normal and remain unaffected.

Taiwanese prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for OnePlus co-founder and CEO Pete Lau over allegations of illegal business operations and hiring practices in the country.

As first reported by Bloomberg, Taiwan's Shilin District Prosecutors' Office has issued the warrant, alleging that OnePlus illegally hired more than 70 Taiwanese employees since 2014. Prosecutors have also reportedly indicted two Taiwanese engineers connected to the same case.

For context, political tensions between China and Taiwan remain high. Under Taiwan's Cross-Strait Act, Chinese companies are prohibited from conducting business or hiring employees in Taiwan without explicit government approval. OnePlus, which is based in Shenzhen, China, allegedly did not obtain such approval, leading to the arrest warrant being issued against Lau.

What Taiwanese prosecutors are accusing OnePlus of

According to the report, OnePlus set up a shell company in Hong Kong under a different name and then established a branch in Taiwan in 2015 without government authorization. That branch reportedly handled research and development, as well as verification and testing work for OnePlus smartphones, actions that prosecutors say violated existing cross-strait agreements.

Android Central reached out to OnePlus for comment, and the company responded by saying that its "business operations continue as normal and are unaffected."

From Taiwan's perspective, the case is being treated as a matter of national security. The country has been increasingly focused on protecting its technology ecosystem and has repeatedly raised concerns about the outflow of talent and intellectual property to China.

While there have been similar cases in the past, Lau's involvement is notable given his role as CEO of OnePlus and Chief Product Officer at Oppo. Taiwan's Ministry of Justice has not yet issued a public statement on the matter.

What you need to know

• Rumors about the OnePlus Open 2 claim the device won't see the light of day, as the company has supposedly "cancelled" the global device.
• A report alleges the phone was preparing an 8.1-inch 2K resolution main display (6.6-inch cover), a 50MP camera, and a 32MP selfie lens.
• Previous rumors have claimed the OnePlus Open 2 could sport an incredibly thin frame, as well as wireless charging capabilities.

We've been in a OnePlus Open 2 rumor drought for a while, but a resurgence in talks about the device paints a picture opposite to what was expected.

Starting the week, SmartPrix reported, following a post on X by tipster Yogesh Brar, that OnePlus might have halted production for an Open 2. On social media, the tipster alleges that "Another product getting cancelled is the OnePlus Open 2..." This spurred some sorrow on X from replies, but the publication chimed in with some supposed information of its own.

The post claims that OnePlus has "cancelled" the global launch for its long-awaited Open 2 successor.

The OnePlus Open originally launched late in 2023, and we've been awaiting what was next from the company, even speculating what could be nice, too. Now, leaks allege that OnePlus was in an "advanced testing stage" for the foldable before the decision was made to drop the global product altogether. Some specifications leaked, suggesting the device was preparing to rock the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and deliver a 1TB storage variant with 16GB RAM.

A 50MP camera and a 32MP selfie lens would've captured your memories, while an 8.1-inch 2K resolution main display (6.6-inch cover) would've met your gaze.

Keep in mind: these are rumors. It's been alleged that OnePlus might've cancelled its foldable successor due to the sharp rise in RAM. The OnePlus Open 2 was thought to debut sometime in 2026, potentially this summer, but that might not happen.

Holding out hope?

We've been stuck in this weird two-year-long rumor phase for the OnePlus Open 2, as some reports claimed it would receive an improved IPX8 rating and wireless charging. Elsewhere, and probably what turned the most heads, was a leak that said the Open 2 would outdo the Honor Magic V3 as the world's "slimmest" foldable.

The report was primarily about the OPPO Find N5 book-style foldable; however, that company and OnePlus are sister companies, often sharing similar hardware and the like. It was purported that the phone would be granted a slim titanium frame to shave down its thickness. For context, the Magic V3 measures 4.35mm unfolded and 9.2mm folded.

Early last year, rumors surfaced, stating 2025 wouldn't be the year for the OnePlus Open 2. Supposedly, the Chinese company was taking a step back to "recalibrate" its foldable strategy moving forward.

With the OnePlus 15 series, OnePlus completely changed its strategy and positioning for midrange and flagship smartphones. Gone are classic staples like the OnePlus design language, Hasselblad image processing, and the Alert Slider. Instead, you get an iPhone-inspired chassis, a new OnePlus DetailMax processing engine, and a focus on gaming and long battery life. There are some unfortunate downgrades, too, like subpar camera hardware and lower-resolution displays.

Still, if you want the newest and most powerful OnePlus phones, you'll be choosing between the midrange OnePlus 15R and the flagship OnePlus 15. The former costs $699, while the latter costs $899. With no 16GB RAM option for the OnePlus 15R, the gap between the midrange and flagship OnePlus phones is narrowing in 2026. If you're on the fence between these two models, here's everything you need to know about them.

OnePlus 15 vs. OnePlus 15R: Design and display

Both the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R use the design language introduced on last year's OnePlus 13T/S. It's kind of an iPhone clone, ditching OnePlus' iconic circular camera housing and curved design in favor of a flat, boxy chassis. To many OnePlus fans, this is a downgrade. The squircle camera arrangement and rectangular build on the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R do little to differentiate these models from competitors.

From a durability standpoint, OnePlus is still an industry leader. It supports the standard IP68 water- and dust-resistance ratings we commonly see on Android phones, but adds the rarer IP69 and IP69K certifications, too. These add high-pressure and high-temperature liquid resistance in addition to protection against submersion. In layman's terms, these phones should survive a dishwasher run, though that's all in theory, and we wouldn't recommend trying it yourself.

Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covers the front of each model, but the back material varies by color. Some colorways use a plastic back, and others use a Gorilla Glass 7i back.

Aligning with the new design language, the displays on the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R are completely flat. The flagship OnePlus 15 is equipped with a 6.78-inch OLED screen that tops out at a higher 165Hz refresh rate than its predecessor in some situations, like while playing select games. However, that comes at the expense of resolution. It has a 1.5K resolution (1272 x 2772 pixels) with a pixel density of 450 pixels-per-inch (ppi).

The screen size of the OnePlus 15R is slightly larger, but shares the same pixel density as the OnePlus 15. It uses a 6.83-inch OLED display panel with a 1272 x 2800 resolution. Like its flagship companion, the OnePlus 15R peaks at 165Hz in select situations. Both phones have a high brightness mode that tops out at 1,800 nits.

Neither the OnePlus 15 nor the OnePlus 15R have the classic OnePlus Alert Slider. Instead, they have a customizable "Plus Key," and it's similar to the Action button on iPhones.

OnePlus 15 vs. OnePlus 15R: Hardware and specs

Both the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R use the latest Qualcomm processors, which may give them a leg up over the competition. Specifically, the OnePlus 15R might have an advantage over phones like the Google Pixel 9a and the Samsung Galaxy A56, which use lesser in-house Tensor and Exynos chips. However, despite the OnePlus 15R and OnePlus 15 both using "Gen 5" processors from Qualcomm, they're not equal.

The flagship OnePlus 15 is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is the successor to last generation's groundbreaking Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform. It represents even further performance gains and efficiency improvements. The phone pairs that chip with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on the configuration.

While both the OnePlus 15R and OnePlus 15 use UFS 4.1 flash storage, the former maxes out at 512GB and the latter has a 1TB variant. Additionally, the OnePlus 15R is only offered in 12GB RAM, a technical downgrade compared to the 16GB variant of the OnePlus 13R.

Meanwhile, the OnePlus 15R uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, which is in a lower tier compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Although it isn't clocked as high as the flagship chip, performance is still good. Our reviewer found its performance comparable to the iQOO 13, which had a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. That's a good sign — the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a fantastic chip, and it still holds up in 2026.

On the connectivity side of things, the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R have all the latest standards covered, including 5G, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6.

OnePlus 15 vs. OnePlus 15R: Cameras

The camera situation on the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R is tricky. There are clear hardware downgrades, and both phones lose Hasselblad image processing. However, that doesn't always mean camera quality is worse. In fact, on the OnePlus 15, we've found results that are the opposite.

OnePlus launched its own DetailMax Engine with the OnePlus 15, and paired with the new sensors, photo quality is generally better than the OnePlus 15. There's a trio of 50MP rear camera sensors led by the primary Sony IMX906 shooter. The telephoto camera provides 3.5x zoom natively, with up to 7x optical-quality zoom available via sensor crop.

The OnePlus 15R's camera setup is harder to defend. The primary 50MP camera is pretty good, as it uses the exact same Sony IMX906 sensor as the OnePlus 15. However, the only secondary camera is an 8MP wide-angle lens. No, you aren't imagining things — the OnePlus 13R did pack a 50MP telephoto lens for optical zoom, and OnePlus removed it here. That alone may make the OnePlus 15R a non-starter for some buyers.

OnePlus 15 vs. OnePlus 15R: Which one should you buy?

Our review of the OnePlus 15R makes one thing clear: this phone isn't a good value. It charges more for less, and the OnePlus 13R looks like a better choice. In fact, the perplexing downgrades and even more confusing price hike make me suspicious that the OnePlus 15R only exists to push buyers to the OnePlus 15.

With only a $200 difference separating the two models, it's easy to justify paying more for a better Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, a more robust camera system with a telephoto lens, and more RAM. If that was OnePlus' goal, the company achieved it. The OnePlus 15 is assuredly the better value Android phone, making the OnePlus 15R's retail price look comically inflated.

If we pretend only the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R exist, the $900 flagship takes the crown. It has the value proposition down, challenging the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL and the eventual Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra while costing less. The OnePlus 15R, however, is unfit to succeed in a budget market that includes the Google Pixel 9a — a phone that's $300 cheaper at the time of writing.

Unless you're married to OxygenOS or OnePlus hardware, the OnePlus 15R doesn't make sense in a competitive budget Android phone market. The OnePlus 15, no matter how boring, provides decent hardware while hitting a price point low enough to challenge the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Google.

If you've been waiting for the OnePlus 15 to hit retail store shelves in the United States, you're in luck: Best Buy finally got the flagship phone in stock, and it's slapping on an unmissable deal for a limited time.

Buy the OnePlus 15 through the retailer's site and you'll get a free $100 gift card with your purchase. Best Buy will also throw on up to $600 of trade-in credit if you have an old or broken phone lying around. Both the 512GB and 256GB versions of the phone will land you the free cash, although you'll have to buy from Amazon if you prefer the latter configuration.

We called the OnePlus 13 a 'nearly perfect smartphone', but the OnePlus 15 actually improves upon its predecessor in a few important ways. Now available at most big box stores in North America, the phone is powered by the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset (making it faster than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra), plus you get a IP69K durability rating with a stunning 6.78-inch 165Hz flat OLED display.

The OnePlus 15 also boasts a gargantuan 7,300mAh battery that provides up to three days of battery life on a single charge, and the camera tech could easily holds its own against the best devices from Samsung or Google.

So what are the downsides? Well, it makes the most sense to compare the OnePlus 15 with its most obvious rival, the aforementioned Galaxy S25 Ultra. For starters, the OnePlus 15 only has six years of guaranteed OS upgrades compared to Samsung's seven, and the OEM has never been as interested in AI integration as Samsung and Google seem to be.

The Samsung phone also comes with a built-in stylus and a larger display, and one could argue that the Galaxy S25 Ultra's camera system is a bit more versatile than the OnePlus' tech. On the other hand, the OnePlus 15 wins out with battery life, charging speeds, and its lightweight build.

For most folks, the decision will come down to price. Is it worth spending $300 more to get marginally better AI features and software support? It's totally your call, but if you want to branch out beyond the confines of Samsung and Google and save a little cash in the process, the OnePlus 15 is the best of the best. If money isn't an object, however, consider the following:

✅Buy the OnePlus 15 if.. you want an ultra-powerful phone that's great for gaming, with an eye-friendly display and unbelievable battery life.

✅Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra if.. you want a large phone with a built-in stylus, loads of AI features, and some of the best camera tech in the biz.

It's also worth mentioning that the Galaxy S26 Ultra is set to be revealed sometime in the next couple of months. Will the new Samsung flagship give OnePlus a run for its money in 2026? Only time will tell.

What you need to know

• New OnePlus 15T rumors suggest the phone could arrive with a "maximum" 7,500mAh battery and a 50MP telephoto lens.
• A Chinese tipster claims that the phone might also strive for an April launch in China, which would make sense, as the 13T hit a similar window.
• Older rumors claim the 15T might sport the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite flagship SoC and a 6.3-inch 1.5K display

OnePlus typically creates a compact alternative to its flagship device within the "T" series, and rumors about that device have appeared with launch details.

This week, prominent Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station (DCS) posted on the Chinese social media site about the alleged OnePlus 15T (via PlayfulDroid). The tipster claims that OnePlus could seek to empower this device with a battery over 7,000mAh. This is where things get speculative (as if they weren't already), with the post claiming that consumers could see a capacity of around 7,500mAh.

DCS states that this higher total is the "maximum," which could indicate that OnePlus could pack a battery with a capacity of anywhere between 7,000mAh and 7,500mAh.

The phone's camera system will reportedly feature a 50MP telephoto lens. While DCS didn't expand on the main sensor, the publication revisited older rumors, which claimed the 15T might only feature a dual-array. The tipster then responded to comments, alleging the phone's launch window. One user asked, "When will it be released," to which DCS responded, "Around April."

Phone features weren't alleged in this leak, though we have a few specifications to play around with, following an older post.

The 15T is on the way

OnePlus 15T rumors have been pretty scarce (and scattered), as the latest major leak arrived last June. Digital Chat Station alleged at the time that the OnePlus 15T was inbound with one feature that would beat out the flagship: its battery. Those early rumors only claimed that the capacity would reach heights over the OnePlus 15; however, it's not until now that we've seen what it could be.

Other rumors claim that the phone could receive a flagship Snapdragon SoC, as well as a smaller 6.3-inch 1.5K display and a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint reader.

There's one thing to note: if the OnePlus 15T is to beat the 15 in battery, it might have to sit somewhere between 7,400mAh and the alleged 7,500mAh max. When the OnePlus 15 launched in October, it debuted with a huge 7,300mAh battery with 120W wired charging. We'll have to see if OnePlus hits this rumored April release window. It would make sense if it does, considering the 13T hit the same month last year.

What you need to know

• Rumors suggest the OnePlus 16 will ditch the current 50MP zoom for a massive 200MP sensor, likely a periscope telephoto lens.
• The new camera hardware is reportedly shared with the unreleased OPPO Find N6 foldable.
• Compared to the OnePlus 15’s 50MP telephoto, a 200MP setup would allow sharper crops, stronger zoom, and better low-light results.

For the past few generations, OnePlus has made fast, polished flagship phones with great performance and charging speeds, but their cameras have often lagged behind. The OnePlus 15 series was good overall, but many fans still wanted a camera that felt truly top-tier. The OnePlus 16 might finally deliver on that front.

According to prolific leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, OnePlus could use a 200MP sensor for the OnePlus 16 (via Android Headlines). The rumor suggests this hardware will be shared with the upcoming OPPO Find N6 foldable. If you connect the dots with the current market trends, it looks like we could see a 200MP periscope telephoto lens.

The OnePlus 15 uses a decent but small 50MP sensor for zoom. It works, but it doesn’t gather as much light or offer the cropping flexibility of larger sensors. With a 200MP sensor, you could crop images much more without losing detail.

Sharing DNA with OPPO

This move makes sense when you look at the family tree. OnePlus and OPPO (both under the BBK umbrella) frequently swap homework. The OnePlus 15 and the OPPO Find N5 already share the same main and telephoto sensors. With the OPPO Find N6 rumored to have a triple-camera setup with a 200MP sensor, it’s likely the OnePlus 16 will use similar hardware.

Keep in mind, these details are still early rumors. The OnePlus 16 will probably launch in late 2026, so prototypes are still being tested and plans could change.

If these leaks hold up, the OnePlus 16 could be the most well-rounded flagship the company has released in years. It looks like this phone may finally offer a camera that doesn’t require users to overlook any compromises.

For longtime fans, this could be the upgrade worth waiting for. And for anyone who skipped the OnePlus 15 because the camera didn’t quite deliver, the next model might finally check all the boxes.

What you need to know

• OnePlus is officially selling the Pad Go 2 in the U.S. for $400, with early buyers getting a free folio case or stylus.
• The 12.1-inch 120Hz LCD is the standout, offering high brightness and smooth scrolling that punch above its class.
• Expandable storage is back, with up to 256GB onboard plus a microSD slot.

OnePlus is finally bringing one of its most affordable tablets to the U.S., and it’s aimed at people who want a clean Android tablet experience without paying flagship prices.

You can now pick up the OnePlus Pad Go 2 from the company’s website for $400. If you buy it before the end of the year, you can choose a free folio case or a free stylus with your purchase.

At a glance, you’re getting a familiar OnePlus design language wrapped around a more budget-friendly core. The Pad Go 2 features a slim aluminum body, slim bezels, and a large display built for streaming, browsing, and light productivity.

The screen itself is a big selling point. You’re staring at a massive 12.1-inch LCD display that cranks up to a 120Hz refresh rate. With 900 nits of peak brightness, you can use it even outside on a sunny day, which is unusual for tablets in this price range. While it’s not OLED, it should still work well for daily use.

Solid mid-range specs

Inside, OnePlus replaced the older Helio G99 with the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultra. It won’t outperform a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but for streaming, light work, and casual gaming, it does the job well.

You’re also getting 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage, which you can expand via a microSD slot. That last part is a dying feature, so seeing it here is a genuine win for media hoarders.

This tablet has a 10,050mAh battery, which is much larger than the 8,000mAh battery in the first-gen OnePlus Pad Go. OnePlus says it can last for over 50 hours of music or 15 hours of video.

The software is a strong point for the Pad Go 2. It comes with OxygenOS for tablets, which includes split-screen multitasking, floating windows, and better app scaling than standard Android on large screens.

If you already have a OnePlus phone, features like quick file sharing and synced notifications help the tablet fit smoothly into your setup.

It's not often that we see a smartphone company launching a successor to its hero product before the year is even out. OnePlus launched its 13 series at the start of 2025, and now, just before we close the year, we already have the 15 series. Early adopters should rightfully be mad at OnePlus for making their 2025 purchase obsolete within the year itself. Thankfully, OnePlus has made sure this doesn't happen.

In a strange plot twist, the OnePlus 15 might actually be worse off than the OnePlus 13 series, particularly when it comes to the newly launched OnePlus 15R. Some things are better, like the waterproofing, processor, and battery capacity, but is it all worth $100 more than the 13R? We're about to find out.

OnePlus 15R vs. OnePlus 13R: Design and display

OnePlus had an iconic circular camera island design for the past two generations, but that's been traded in for a more generic look with the new 15 series. The OnePlus 15R looks a lot like the OnePlus 13s, the compact flagship from mid-2025. The 15R has a pretty forgettable design, and its colors don't really help it stand out. The Electric violet shade is the only fun color, but that's limited to just one region for now.

Build quality is solid nonetheless, and the OnePlus 15R comes with an upgraded fingerprint sensor and up to an IP69 rating for dust and water resistance. It's thicker and heavier than the OnePlus 13R, which is noticeable. The 15R also misses out on the classic Alert slider, which has been replaced by a customizable "Plus Key" button.

One of the 15R's big redeeming qualities is its display. OnePlus has used a 1.5K resolution LTPS AMOLED panel, and we've found it to be extremely good. The company is hyping the 165Hz refresh rate, but this is only really usable in a handful of games. Under normal usage, the display runs at 120Hz for the most part. OnePlus uses a custom Panda glass for scratch protection that isn't as impact-resistant as Corning's solution.

The OnPlus 13R is instantly recognizable as a OnePlus device. It's lighter and slimmer than the 15R, making it easier to hold and use for longer periods. It retains the Alert slider, which we've all come to know and love over the years, letting you quickly switch between silent, vibration, and ringer modes.

The phone uses the older-style optical fingerprint sensor, which is not bad, but it won't be as accurate or quick as the ultrasonic one used in the 15R. The last bit, where the 13R lags behind, is the waterproofing. With just an IP65 rating, the phone is only rated to withstand splashes of water, not heavy ingress or submersion.

The display of the OnePlus 13R holds up well against the 15R. It's roughly the same size and resolution, and even though the refresh rate is just 120Hz, it can get much brighter, reaching 4,500 nits at peak. OnePlus also uses something called Aqua Touch on the 13R's panel, which essentially lets you use the display normally even if water is on it.

Between the two phones, based on design alone, I'd pick the OnePlus 13R. It also comes in just two colors, but I think it looks better, and I love the fact that it's lighter.

OnePlus 15R vs. OnePlus 13R: Hardware & specs

The OnePlus 15R is one of the first phones to feature Qualcomm's newest value-flagship chip, called the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. If you're confused about the naming convention, you're not alone. It's a step down from the Elite-branded chips but is also slightly more potent than the 8 Gen 3 chip found in the 13R.

For starters, it's built on a smaller 3nm node (vs. 4nm), uses Oryon CPU cores similar to those in Qualcomm's laptop chips, and packs newer Wi-Fi and 5G modems. In short, the 15R will deliver higher benchmark scores than the 13R, but for most day-to-day tasks, there shouldn't be any tangible difference.

The new power-efficient chip and a much larger 7,400mAh battery allow the 15R to achieve much better battery life figures. You can easily use this phone for two days straight without any worry about charging. There's no wireless charging, just like the 13R, but you get 80W fast charging, and the charger comes in the box.

The OnePlus 15R starts at $700 for 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, and the $800 for 512GB of storage. OnePlus has kept the RAM the same across storage tiers, unlike before. The phone only comes in two colors — Charcoal Black and Mint Breeze.

The OnePlus 13R is still retailing for the same $600 that it launched at. This is for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage variant. In some regions like India, you can even get a 16GB/ 512GB variant. Of course, the 13R can also be found at discounted prices during sales, something the 15R won't see for a while.

The 13R uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is still a very capable chip from 2024. There is some thermal throttling that kicks in after 30 minutes of sustained load, but this threshold is still better than what we saw on the OnePlus 13. Performance is fantastic, be it gaming or multitasking.

Battery life is equally good thanks to the 6,000mAh capacity. Just like the 15R, you can expect to go up to two full days before needing to charge it again. Charging time is a bit longer, though, as the 13R uses a single-cell battery vs. dual cells.

OnePlus 15R vs. OnePlus 13R: Software

The OnePlus 15R ships with OxygenOS 16, which is based on Android 16. It's slated to get four OS upgrades and six years of security updates. This latest version brings a bunch of useful AI features, a new design language, and greater customization. We've done a deep dive into all the best Oxygen OS 16 features, so be sure to check it out for all the details.

The OnePlus 13R will also get the same set of features once you update it to the latest software version. In terms of functionality, both phones should be nearly identical. The 13R will also receive up to four OS upgrades and six years of security patches.

OnePlus 15R vs. OnePlus 13R: Cameras

The OnePlus 15R has one big omission in the camera department, and that's the lack of a telephoto camera. I'm not sure what possessed OnePlus to remove it when the 13R was the first R-series phone to get it, and we all loved it for it.

There's a 50MP main and an 8MP ultrawide on the back, but the front camera is upgraded to a 32MP sensor. The main camera module itself is not bad, but the ultrawide is objectively worse than the 13R. Selfies from the 15R should look a bit better compared to the 13R, but be prepared for worse zoom shots.

The auxiliary cameras on the OnePlus 13R aren't particularly great either, but the phone still delivers good shots with the primary sensor. The telephoto camera with its 2x optical zoom delivers crisp, magnified photos, something that we thought was lacking with the 15R.

OnePlus 15R vs. OnePlus 13R: The choice is obvious

Android Central's Harish Jonnalagadda couldn't have said it better in his review — don't buy the OnePlus 15R. The improvements given to it simply do not justify the lost features and higher price. Plus, the fact that it looks pretty uninteresting and boring compared to its predecessor is another reason to avoid it.

The OnePlus 13R is one of the best OnePlus phones, and even though it might lack some raw benchmark performance, it's still a solid value flagship that's not even been around for a full year. I imagine demand for the 13R should spike, which could put it out of stock sooner than expected, so grab one while you can.

OnePlus seems to have missed the ball completely on its 15 series, and neither phone is especially impressive when compared to its predecessor. It seems the company is trying to pivot the number series towards the mobile gaming audience, which would explain the focus on bigger batteries and faster displays, and the less importance given to the cameras. I guess the sales of the 15 series will decide if the company will continue down this path or revert back to offering proper value flagships.

Every phone brand has its main line and a more affordable option. For OnePlus and Google right now, that's the OnePlus 15R vs. Google Pixel 9a. Both phones are value options in the line that sport premium features for Android users, including heavy integration of AI. Both are relatively new as well: the Google Pixel 9a launched in March 2025, and the OnePlus 15R in December 2025. How can you possibly choose between them? We're here to help.

OnePlus 15R vs. Google Pixel 9a: The basic specs

The OnePlus 15R has a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 2,800 x 1,272 resolution and TÜV Rheinland Intelligent Eye Care 5.0 certification, and an impressive 165Hz refresh rate. The 1,800-nit peak brightness can drop to 1 nit as needed. Android Central's Harish Jonnalagadda says the screen is easy on the eyes. But he notes that it only supports 144Hz or 165Hz refresh rates in six game titles. For everything else, it's a basic 120Hz.

However, Nicholas Sutrich adds that after testing the phone, he found it uses the most flicker-free OLED he has ever seen, a huge selling point for those with sensitivities. He loves the brightness and outdoor visibility, both of which he describes as excellent, and appreciates the eye care features. He even goes so far as to call its screen one of the best in OLED tech.

Available in Charcoal Black or Mint Breeze with Velvet Glass technology, the OnePlus 15R features rounded corners and a redesigned camera bump that OnePlus says helps reduce hand fatigue when you hold the phone for long periods.

The massive 7,400mAh battery is a huge selling point, ensuring the phone lasts a long time and can run in harsh environments. It's made with OnePlus' Silicon NanoStack technology, with 15% silicon content for better energy density. It also supports 55W SUPERVOOC fast charging with the included charger, but can go up to 80W with the OnePlus SUPERVOOC 100W Dual Ports GaN Power Adapter Lite.

It does not, however, support wireless charging, which is one of the downsides of the excellent flagship OnePlus 15. It can retain 80% of its capacity after four years, ensuring long-term battery health. Jonnalagadda says the phone easily lasts for up to two days without issue, and even a day and a half with heavy use.

Like the OnePlus 15, it's ultra durable, meeting not only an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, but also IP66, IP69, and IP69K. This ensures that the phone can withstand submersion, high-pressure water jets at close range, and higher temperatures. So, from the hot tub to the backyard water gun fight, it can handle it.

You get 256GB or 512GB storage, the latter only in the Charcoal Black finish, and you can pair it with the Sandstone or hole-pattern magnetic case. You'll get four years of software updates and six years of security updates.

Overall, Jonnalagadda finds the design to be a downgrade, except for an Electric Violet finish option available only in India. He finds that the Panda glass it uses isn’t as resilient as Corning Gorilla Glass either, despite the tremendous IP ratings.

The Google Pixel 9a comes in Iris, Peony, Porcelain, or Obsidian and employs a composite matte back and satin metal finish. It has a smaller 6.3-inch OLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass Actua and a 2,424 x 1,080 resolution, with a 60-120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It's much brighter at up to 2,700 nits. Michael Hicks says in his review that it's comfortable to see outdoors with decent color saturation. While watching videos side by side with the step-up Google Pixel 9, he didn't notice any difference in color accuracy or contrast.

With hard edges and an IP68 dust- and water-resistant rating, it's the first Pixel device without the traditional camera housing, which affords a larger battery and an ultra-slim design. Hicks opines that the camera housing is almost too subtle, but appreciates that it's so thin that it prevents wobbling and that the phone is incredibly lightweight. The design change was also worth it to cram in a bigger battery.

Its battery is above average at 5,100mAh, which easily lasts over a day, says Hicks, even with heavy use, and can stretch to two days with casual use. But that still doesn't hold a candle to the OnePlus 15R. Still, you get a rated 30+ hours per charge, which can be extended to 100 hours, or just over 4 days, with Extreme Battery Saver mode. It supports fast charging, but only at 23W. While it has wireless charging, it's not useful for anything but top-ups and overnight at a snail's pace, 7.5W.

Get the Google Pixel 9a in 128GB or 256GB storage options, even less than the OnePlus 15R. Both devices are non-expandable, so you'll have to rely on the cloud beyond the internal storage capacities. The Google Pixel 9a does come with a three-month trial subscription to Google One that includes additional cloud storage, along with three months of YouTube Premium and six months of Fitbit Premium if you have a companion smartwatch like the Pixel Watch 4. So, those are some worthwhile incentives.

Like all the latest Google Pixel phones, you get seven years of software and security updates. But note that as the phone ages, you may not get all the new features that come with a Pixel Drop.

OnePlus 15R vs. Google Pixel 9a: The specs

Let's breakdown the basic specs of the two Android phones to see how they compare side by side.

OnePlus 15R vs. Google Pixel 9a: AI and overall performance

The OnePlus 15 relies heavily on OnePlus' AI experiences. It is the first phone to launch globally with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 mobile chipset, which affords a faster CPU and GPU and better AI performance overall, but is a step-down from the Elite chip in the OnePlus 15. AI is handled by OnePlus AI and the Plus Mind system alongside integration with Google Gemini.

OxygenOS 16, based on Android 16, is powered by Intelligent AI, which includes the new Plus Mind, Plus Key, and Mind Space. With this feature, you can press the Plus Key or swipe up with three fingers from the bottom of the phone to take a screenshot and store it in the Mind Space. The Mind Space area is where you can bookmark key things, like ideas, web pages, e-mails, images, inspiration, key dates, or details. You can even save voice notes.

From there, you can build ideas, even tap into them with Gemini Live with a simple prompt to do things like build a trip itinerary based on everything you saved, or a summary for a presentation. The phone comes with a three-month trial to Google AI Pro. Supporting all these AI goodies alongside the processor is 12GB LPDDR5X Ultra RAM. There's also UFS 4.1, which ensures fast speeds when transferring or copying data.

In terms of usability, the phone has several features designed to ensure smooth navigation. Parallel Processing 2.0 facilitates smoother app switching, navigation, and multitasking. The Touch Response Chip supports a 3,200Hz touch sampling rate, so the phone is responsive to your commands, a key feature for multitaskers, content creators, and gamers. With dual app control, you can open and interact with two apps on the screen at once, a feature great for multitaskers.

As for gamers, this phone features a high-end cooling system designed to prevent overheating during the most intense activities, like gaming. The 360° Cryo Velocity Cooling System includes a Cryo Velocity Screen Cooler under the display for thermal protection, along with the Cryo Velocity 3D Vapor Chamber to cool down the high-end processor.

There's also a Cryo Velocity Back Cover for additional cooling. However, Jonnalagadda says all of this doesn't do much to curtail overheating in his experience. What's more, most games are still limited to 60fps, so while the phone performs well while gaming, it finds that it isn't hitting its full potential.

Sutrich disagrees, however, saying that in the few games he played, like Call of Duty Mobile and Clash of Clans, he was blown away by the smoothness and responsiveness, even with games that don't support the 165Hz display refresh mode. Given these differing opinions, it might be worth trying the phone for a few minutes in-store to gauge how you feel while gaming.

Comparatively, the Google Pixel 9a offers a hefty AI experience as well, with deep integration with Google Gemini. Loaded with Android 15 OS at launch, it's powered by the Google Tensor G4 processor, ensuring a smooth, pleasant experience. There's also the Titan M2 security chip. The 8GB RAM is a step down, but this phone is still pretty responsive and powerful.

Naturally, it comes with Google Gemini fully built in and all its features, including assistance with everything from writing to snapping pictures, inquiries, and more. There are useful add-ons like Pixel Call Assist, Clear Calling, Call Screen, and Hold for Me. Some new features in the latest Pixel Drop for the Pixel 9a include AI summaries for chats, photo remixing, expanded Scam Detection, and a unified search bar.

The phone also affords plenty of personalization through things like theme packs, Wicked: For Good ones being the latest offering in the November 2025 Pixel Drop. For gamers and multitaskers, there's a larger vapor chamber to keep the phone cool that Hicks says pays off in benchmarks. Also worth mentioning are safety features like car crash detection, emergency SOS, crisis alerts, VPN by Google, an auto-lock option if the phone is lost or stolen, and built-in anti-malware and anti-phishing features.

OnePlus 15R vs. Google Pixel 9a: Cameras and camera performance

When it comes to taking photos, the phone cameras have similar feature sets. The OnePlus 15R has a 50MP primary camera sensor, the same as the OnePlus 15, along with a 32MP front camera with autofocus and an 8MP ultra-wide camera with a 112° field of view. It's powered by the OnePlus DetailMax Engine and includes the same features as the OnePlus 15, including Ultra Clear Mode, Clear Burst, and Clear Night Engine. You can also shoot 4K videos at 120 fps.

Enjoy all the useful photo editing and fixing features you have come to know and love on OnePlus phones, including removing distracting objects, unblurring photos, and even removing reflections.

Jonnalagadda points out that the OnePlus 15R is missing a telephoto lens, a marked difference from the previous generation OnePlus 13R that has a 50MP telephoto lens, making that phone arguably the better option in this department. Overall, he says the phone's cameras don't perform as well as the OnePlus 13R, with the exception of the great selfie camera. He finds the primary camera decent enough, but he can't get over the omission of a telephoto lens.

By comparison, the Google Pixel 9a has a 48MP wide-angle primary camera, a 13MP front camera, and a 13MP ultrawide-angle camera. It's worth mentioning that it doesn't have a telephoto lens either, but it does have Super Res Zoom.

Google's photo editing features that leverage AI are where the real magic comes in. There are options like Add Me to add the photographer to a group photo so no one is left out of a shot, Best Take for combining the best expressions from a sequence of photos, and Magic Eraser, Unblur, and more.

One of the latest features is personalized edits in Google Photos, like removing sunglasses or hats and fixing smiles. But this is done through the Help me edit features in Google Photos, which you can access from other phones, too.

Hicks says the cameras capture vivid colors and decent detail in good lighting. But without optical zoom and with a smaller sensor that captures less light, it's not as good as the Pixel 9 Pro. That's to be expected since that device is much more expensive.

The Macro Focus mode, however, is stunning, activating by default as soon as you get up close to a subject. Image recognition also smartly focuses on the entire subject versus a tiny spot when in this mode. Overall, he says the phone's camera strength is with Macro Focus, and its weakness is with low-light photography and a lack of optical zoom.

OnePlus 15R vs. Google Pixel 9a: Which should you choose?

If you're choosing between the OnePlus 15R and the Google Pixel 9a specifically, the answer is simple: go with the Google Pixel 9a. Jonnalagadda doesn't mince words when he calls the OnePlus 15R "bland and forgettable," adding that it "isn't worth your time or money." This isn't to say you should ignore OnePlus phones altogether.

If you're looking for a value option, the previous-generation OnePlus 13R is the better choice and offers tremendous bang for the buck. If you have a bit more dough to spare, upgrade to the OnePlus 15. But between these two devices, the better value is the Google Pixel 9a.

With that said, you may also want to wait for the rumored Google Pixel 10a, though the Pixel 9a will still be a current phone for some time. It's a solid device that Hicks calls "the Energizer Pixel" and still ranks as the best budget Android phone, with the OnePlus 13R a solid second choice. You'd be happy with either of these phones. When it comes to the OnePlus 15R, however, if you take the advice of Jonnalagadda, skip this one and go back a generation or spend a bit more for the OnePlus 15. It's a fantastic device worth the extra few hundred bucks.

There are plenty of flagship smartphones to choose from, including the Pixel 10 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and more. However, not everyone wants a flagship phone, and for those users, reliable options have long included Samsung's Fan Edition series, while Google's Pixel A-series and, more recently, OnePlus' R-series phones have offered strong value for money.

That said, the gap between flagship smartphones and these mid-range devices has been shrinking lately. The newly launched OnePlus 15R and Samsung Galaxy S25 FE both sit squarely in that space.

Both phones are priced below $799, typical of flagship phones, but they are also not quite as affordable as entry-level flagships. So, if you're looking for a premium mid-range smartphone, when comparing the OnePlus 15R vs. Galaxy S25 FE, which one is the better fit for you? Let's take a closer look at how they compare.

OnePlus 15R vs Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: Pricing and availability

While previous OnePlus R-series phones offered more affordable pricing, OnePlus has priced the 15R at a relatively steep $699 in the U.S. The base variant includes 256GB of onboard storage and 12GB of RAM, while upgrading to the 512GB variant costs an additional $100.

At the time of writing, the OnePlus 15R is currently available for pre-orders in the U.S. and UK, with open sales beginning on January 8, 2026. That said, the phone is already available for purchase in a few markets, including India.

The OnePlus 15R comes in two color options, Charcoal Black and Mint Breeze, while a third option, Electric Violet, is exclusive to the Indian market.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is priced lower than the OnePlus 15R, starting at $649, but that base variant includes only 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. The upside is that upgrading to the 256GB version costs just $50, bringing the price in line with the OnePlus 15R. The Galaxy S25 FE is available in four colors, including Icyblue, Jetblack, Navy, and White.

OnePlus 15R vs Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: Design and build

For the past few years, Samsung's Galaxy Fan Edition phones have followed a fairly minimal design language, closely resembling the base and Plus models, and that is exactly what you get with the Galaxy S25 FE. It features a clean, minimalist design with a plain glass back, three vertically stacked camera sensors, and flat edges. One notable detail across all color options is the silver aluminum side rails.

On the OnePlus 15R, you also get a simple design, though with a slightly larger camera module than the S25 FE despite housing only two sensors. It features rounded corners, flat edges, and an aluminum alloy frame.

In terms of dimensions, the Galaxy S25 FE has a smaller footprint than the OnePlus 15R. Samsung has given the S25 FE a Galaxy S25 Edge-like treatment by trimming down its thickness, which is quite noticeable.

The Galaxy S25 FE measures 161.3 x 76.6 x 7.4mm, while the OnePlus 15R measures 163.4 x 77 x 8.3mm. There is also a clear weight difference, with the OnePlus 15R weighing significantly more than the Galaxy S25 FE at 219g versus 190g.

When it comes to durability, however, the OnePlus 15R pulls ahead. OnePlus claims the phone carries four IP ratings, including IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K. This means it is resistant not only to splashes and water immersion but also to high-pressure hot water sprays.

While such conditions are unlikely in real-world use, it still highlights the device's durability. The Galaxy S25 FE is no slouch either, with an IP68 rating that protects against water immersion for a limited time.

Up front, the OnePlus 15R offers a larger display than the Galaxy S25 FE. It features a 6.83-inch AMOLED panel with a refresh rate up to 165Hz and a peak brightness of 3,600 nits. That said, the glass used here is the slightly less robust Gorilla Glass 7i.

The Galaxy S25 FE comes with a more compact 6.7-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display that supports up to 120Hz refresh rate. Its peak brightness tops out at 1,900 nits. Samsung does, however, use the more premium Gorilla Glass Victus Plus for display protection, which is similar to what we see on its flagship smartphones.

OnePlus 15R vs Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: Hardware and specs

One of the biggest differences between flagship Galaxy smartphones and Fan Edition models has always been the chipset, and that remains true with the Galaxy S25 FE. While the Galaxy S25 uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite, at least in the U.S., the Galaxy S25 FE relies on Samsung's own Exynos 2400 processor. It is capable enough for everyday use, but it is no match for flagship Qualcomm processors.

The OnePlus 15R, on the other hand, runs on Qualcomm's latest flagship-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. This is the sub-flagship processor introduced alongside the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, but it still brings custom Oryon CPU cores and much of the flagship experience at a lower price point.

One thing that stood out in our OnePlus 15R review was its performance. While it does not match the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, we had no issues with gaming or overall performance during daily use.

When it comes to internal storage, the OnePlus 15R starts with 256GB and offers an option to upgrade to 512 GB. The Galaxy S25 FE starts at 128GB of storage, with 256GB and 512GB options also available.

RAM is another area where the OnePlus 15R has a clear advantage. It comes with 12GB of RAM as standard across all variants, while the Galaxy S25 FE tops out at 8GB of RAM even on the 512GB model.

As expected, neither phone offers a microSD card slot. One added bonus on the OnePlus 15R is the infrared port, which lets you control appliances like TVs and streaming devices.

When it comes to battery life and charging, OnePlus has long led this category among Android smartphones, and the OnePlus 15R only extends that lead. The OnePlus 15R packs a massive 7,400mAh battery with 80W fast charging, which should comfortably last a full day of use.

The Galaxy S25 FE comes with a respectable 4,900 mAh battery, which is solid by Samsung standards but small compared to the OnePlus 15R. It supports up to 45W fast charging and also includes Qi2 15W wireless charging, something you do not get on the OnePlus 15R.

Of course, battery life varies by usage, but if I had to pick one blindly, the OnePlus 15R would be my choice.

Turning to software, both smartphones run custom versions of Android. The OnePlus 15R and Galaxy S25 FE ship with Android 16 out of the box, with the former running OxygenOS 16 and the latter running Samsung's One UI 8.

Both offer plenty of features and AI tools designed to make daily use easier, though Samsung's software suite is arguably among the best available on Android. Features like Circle to Search, object eraser in the Gallery app, and AI-assisted writing are available on both devices.

Where the Galaxy S25 FE clearly pulls ahead is long-term software support. Samsung promises up to seven major OS updates for the Galaxy S25 FE, compared to OnePlus' four years of major OS updates for the 15R. There are also additional Galaxy-only benefits, such as wireless Samsung DeX, which lets you turn your phone into a portable computing setup when paired with a monitor and mouse.

OnePlus 15R vs Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: Cameras

Turning our attention to the cameras, the Galaxy S25 FE clearly pulls ahead. It ships with a 50MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and features like dual-pixel PDAF and optical image stabilization (OIS). This is paired with a 12MP ultra-wide sensor offering a 123-degree field of view, along with an 8MP telephoto sensor that supports up to 3x optical zoom.

The OnePlus 15R drops the telephoto camera altogether and includes only a 50MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and an 8MP ultra-wide sensor with a 112-degree field of view.

Because there is no dedicated telephoto lens, optical zoom is limited to a 2x crop from the primary sensor. As a result, images at higher zoom levels tend to look softer and more grainy from the OnePlus 15R.

For video, both phones support recording up to 4K at 120 fps, but the Galaxy S25 FE also offers 8K video at up to 30 fps. We have not yet tested the cameras side by side, but based purely on on-paper specifications, the Galaxy S25 FE appears to be the stronger option.

OnePlus 15R vs Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: Which should you buy?

When it comes to choosing between the OnePlus 15R and the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, it is quite clear that these two smartphones are built for very different types of users.

The Galaxy S25 FE is a solid choice for anyone looking for a balanced smartphone with a capable processor, a versatile camera setup, long-term software support, an excellent display, and a well-rounded battery and charging experience.

The OnePlus 15R, on the other hand, is a performance-focused device that may fall behind on cameras but delivers near-flagship performance along with class-leading battery life and charging. Ultimately, it comes down to where your priorities lie and which category you fit into.

OnePlus may not be quite the household name it many of us expected it to be by this point, but the company has proven in 2025 that it is still capable of producing some rather impressive phones.

With two major flagship launches in North America, it seemingly pushed battery technology to new heights, offering the largest batteries in a smartphone in North America. The company has also managed to keep up on the software and AI fronts, which are becoming increasingly important as companies race to offer the best integration and most robust feature set.

As we look to 2026, how can OnePlus build on the momentum of two impressive flagship launches in one year? Here's what I expect and hope to see from OnePlus in the coming year.

Don't fall behind

Phones like the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 15 are among the most impressive we've seen from Android OEMs, with large batteries and fast charging speeds, and we'll likely see the latter model take the helm as OnePlus's focus throughout 2026. However, the OnePlus 16 will likely launch toward the end of the year, and there are a few upgrades we hope to see that could make or break the phone for some consumers.

With the Pixel 10 series sporting built-in Qi2 magnets, we've come to appreciate the convenience of magnetic charging, including the various accessories you can pair with your phone. While we always recommend a smartphone case, it's also nice not to have to rely on one to use the latest MagSafe accessories.

But perhaps the biggest change we'd love to see (aside from the return of the alert slider) is a better camera system. While the OnePlus 15 is impressive and technically better than the OnePlus 13, its sensors are inconsistent and fall behind the competition, such as the Vivo X300, making it tough for the company to compete in markets like Asia, where we often see some of the best smartphone cameras.

OnePlus should bring the Nord series back to the U.S.

Outside the U.S., OnePlus offers a wide selection of models, including its flagships and more affordable Nord series. However, in the U.S., the company has only focused on its highest-end model and slightly cheaper R-series, opting for a dual phone launch strategy.

However, the price point makes OnePlus a bit hard to reach for many consumers. This is where the Nord series comes in; its absence has been felt, as budget Android phones seem to be dominated solely by Motorola and Samsung.

OnePlus has proven that it can make a compelling budget phone, but the absence of the Nord series in the U.S. in recent years has been a curious omission to me. After all, a good-looking phone like last year's OnePlus Nord 4, with decent specs, a larger battery, and faster than a flagship like the Galaxy S25 but at half the price, sounds like a phone many consumers would like to buy.

That sentiment also extends to OnePlus watches like the new OnePlus Watch Lite. If OnePlus can bring a watch like this to the States, running Wear OS, I imagine it would be an instant hit at a time when smartwatch prices keep going up.

OnePlus is still lacking in market share and consumer mindshare

Part of the problem with OnePlus only selling flagship phones is that they're beyond the reach of many consumers. But an even bigger problem OnePlus needs to address in 2026 is more or less the same one I was hoping it would overcome in 2025: its lack of carrier presence.

As capable of a company as OnePlus is, it still strikes me as odd that it no longer works with carriers in the U.S. to sell its phones. The U.S. is an important market, ruled mostly by carriers, and without presence in brick-and-mortar stores or even on their online storefronts, OnePlus continues to risk fading into irrelevance.

I would love to see OnePlus return to the U.S. in a big way that doesn't require well-informed consumers to visit a OnePlus website or Amazon. Having its phones available with carriers, rather than just supporting them, will help attract more eyes, which could ultimately lead to more sales.

It also makes it more appealing to consumers who may be deterred by the high price of a flagship phone, which OnePlus seems insistent on focusing its efforts on in the U.S. Buying through a carrier allows consumers to break up that high cost, which makes it easier to purchase expensive phones since you're not fronting the entire $899 at once.

That said, this would mean working with more than just one company. Carrier exclusives are mostly a thing of the past and severely limit the reach of an otherwise great phone. No one is switching carriers just to get their hands on a phone, so OnePlus needs to get all major U.S. carriers on board to get its phones in more consumer hands in 2026 and beyond.

Give us the OnePlus Open 2

As IDC points out, foldable phones are having their moment, especially as companies make them thinner and add more folds. However, the U.S. market is still quite small, with only three major players: Samsung and Google with book-style foldables, and Motorola with flip phones (alongside Samsung).

We've been hoping for a OnePlus Open 2 for some time, especially after the highly praised OnePlus Open. It would be the perfect time to return to the foldable space in 2026, and not just with a OnePlus Open 2, but also with a flip phone.

Oppo has proven that it can offer a thin and compelling foldable, and I also loved its last flip phone. Given their close relationship, it shouldn't be difficult for OnePlus to take another stab at the foldable market to show U.S. consumers what they've been missing out on.

In 2025, Google, Apple, Samsung, and everyone else who announced new tech products delivered beautifully curated keynotes that told us exactly what they wanted us to hear about the said devices.

I agree that Google went above and beyond this year for its Pixel 10 launch, delivering something that felt less like a Keynote and more like a massive production hosted by Jimmy Fallon. On the opposite end, Meta literally winged it with live demos of their new smart glasses. While the demos didn't go as planned, they stayed fairly realistic, which is what we, as consumers who pay a hefty price for electronics, would appreciate seeing.

If tech companies want launch events to matter in 2026, they need to stop giving us Keynotes that could have been emails or overcomplicating them to the point where we lose interest. Instead, they need to offer more clarity and a better understanding of how an average person seeking to buy a new anything will perceive and use these products.

Here's what I'd love to see change in 2026 — and what's worth keeping.

Give it to me straight — in plain English

Too often, companies end up explaining features the way they'd talk to engineers and not, well, us. We hear about "tokens per second," model sizes, or how "Siri now has a deeper understanding of your personal context."

There's a ton of technical jargon, and not much about how those things show up in the real world. Launch events need to answer questions when explaining a new feature — It comes down to the basics: "Why would I actually need it, when would I use it, and what problem would it solve?"

If I don't understand the practicality of a new feature and how it would help me in the real world, then what's the point of having some elaborate speech about it?

Take Google's Gemini, for instance: instead of telling me it's faster, smarter, and more "multimodal," tell me whether Gemini can look at a photo I took and explain why it looks bad and how to fix it before I share it. Even Samsung and Apple end up using loads of jargon in their Keynotes.

Apple loves to show off those emotionally hitting polished stories — the Apple Watch saving a life, the iPhone shooting a fancy music video (with tons of extra gear, post-production edits, of course). Samsung often bombards viewers with so many features so quickly, with little guidance on which actually matter.

But they skip the messy part: regular people trying to use that same tech and ending up with a terrible photo, bad lighting, or just a picture that looks nothing like the ad. In 2026, I want to see companies balance those magical tales with what these features actually look like for a totally average user. Because great stories definitely make people care, but great explanations push people to buy the product.

Keep consumer launches and developer events separate

Google's I/O and Apple's WWDC keep developer updates separate from their launch events, but they sometimes blur the line between the two. For example, this year's I/O featured major product announcements, including the launch of Android 16, a demonstration of Gemini's multimodal capabilities, and a preview of a prototype of Google's XR glasses.

This mix at an event aimed just for developers is definitely cool. Google's probably trying to get more than just coders interested in I/O, but it's also leaving people confused about whether they should be glued to I/O or just watch the "Made by Google" for consumer-focused announcements. If you ask me, I'd say keep the two separate, don't overcomplicate it. That way, the audience knows what to expect at each event and won't miss anything of interest.

Keep the live demos — even if they fail

Both Google and Meta actually tried live demos in 2025, and sometimes, despite practicing it a zillion times before D-day, they don't go as planned. WiFi dropped, or connectivity lagged, leading to awkward pauses during a live show.

But that necessarily isn't failure. While people pick on these moments to criticize the company, make a ton of memes, they can also work to the company's favor. It showed us the reality that mistakes happen — especially with common issues like connectivity problems, and this to me comes across as more authentic and raw, rather than scripted videos.

It also gives companies a real-world moment to look at what works and what still needs work before a product reaches consumers.

So, for 2026, companies should totally keep the live demos. But they could try to swap out the celebrities for everyday people to make things more relevant for someone watching on their couch at home. You know, parents, students—those who don't care about the techy buzzwords but who will actually be using these cool new devices and features.

And just keep things simple, to the point, showing us how features will help normal people, rather than over-the-top shows with so much going on that people forget about it as soon as the show's over.

What you need to know

• OnePlus Turbo has leaked with a massive 9,000mAh battery.
• The phone follows OnePlus' recent design language, featuring a minimal look with a rectangular dual-camera module.
• The lower variant packs a 6.8-inch 144Hz display, Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip, and 80W fast charging support.

We recently learned that OnePlus is working on a smartphone with a massive 9,000mAh battery, and now leaked images of the device have surfaced online, giving us an early glimpse at what's coming.

OnePlus (on Weibo) confirmed that it's working on a new Turbo series of smartphones focused on gaming, with large batteries acting as the USP. According to reports, there will be two variants, and Android Headlines has now published images of the lower-powered model.

The device shown is said to carry the codename "Prado" and follows a familiar design language seen on recent OnePlus phones like the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R. It features a rectangular camera module in the top-left corner housing dual cameras. The phone appears to have a glossy back with a blue-greenish finish, though it's unclear whether the material is plastic or glass.

This new OnePlus phone is built around a massive battery

Unsurprisingly, the phone looks noticeably thick, which makes sense given the massive 9,000mAh battery inside — larger than what you'll find in some Android tablets. Despite its size, the design remains fairly minimal, especially when compared to more aggressive-looking gaming phones from brands like RedMagic.

As for specifications, this variant is said to pack the full 9,000mAh battery along with support for 80W fast charging. On the front, you're looking at a 6.8-inch 1.5K display with a 144Hz refresh rate. Powering the device is the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset, paired with 8GB of RAM, while the higher-end variant could come with the more powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, as previously rumored.

Android Headlines also suggests that OnePlus plans to launch the phone outside China, potentially under the Nord branding, though it may skip a U.S. release altogether. Considering no Nord-branded phones have launched in the U.S. in recent years, that seems plausible.

As for timing, OnePlus is reportedly targeting a Q1 2026 launch, which means we could see the device debut around MWC 2026 in March. We should learn more about the device as we get closer to the launch.

It was the year of phones with amazing AI, and right off the bat, we have to congratulate OnePlus 15 for being crowned the Best Android phone of the past year.

I remember when I had the first OnePlus, and it was a unique experience, but the way the company has evolved over the years shows how much effort the company has put into creating a cohesive brand.

The phone has an incredible processor, great battery life, and super-fast charging. It's got a fantastic camera

Read on ahead to learn what our colleagues have to say about the best Android phone of the year, but of course also about foldables, best camera phone, best value phone, and so much more!

Best Android phone: OnePlus 15

OnePlus started as an Android enthusiast brand, and while it had a few rough years, it has properly redefined what "Never Settle" means with the OnePlus 15 experience. It's got the fastest processor, 3-day battery life, ultrafast charging, the best build quality, excellent cameras, tons of great features, a 165Hz display that doesn't skimp on quality or eye care features, haptics you'll love to feel every day, and six years of updates to come. Oh, and a price you're going to really appreciate.

Some Android Central staff argue that the OnePlus 13's design makes it a nicer phone to use over the squarer OnePlus 15, but considering all the other upgrades, it's nearly impossible not to recommend it.

Runner-up: Google Pixel 10 Pro

Android Central staff loves Google's vision of Android, so it makes sense that the Pixel 10 Pro would make runner-up this year. Whether you choose the pocket-friendly Pixel 10 Pro or the gargantuan Pixel 10 Pro XL, you're getting a top-notch camera system with the best of Gemini onboard. Google very specifically focused on the "everyman" angle for the phone this year, and that comes through in the marketing and the user experience.

This is a dead-simple experience that's uber-friendly for ex-iPhone users to adjust to, and it comes with plenty of friendly hints and tutorials that help you learn what a superior mobile OS should feel like.

Best value phone: CMF Phone 2 Pro

In a sea of middling budget phones, Nothing’s CMF Phone 2 Pro shines like a bright light. There isn’t anything as good if you just need a reliable phone that costs around $250, and the software is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best you’ll see in this category. Nothing essentially distilled the best parts of its high-end offerings into the CMF Phone 2 Pro, and the result is a budget phone you’ll actually want to use.

No, this is a budget phone that’s actually fun. The software obviously plays a big part in this; Nothing OS is uniquely different from every other Android interface, and the bold design and clean UI pair really well with the hardware.

Runner-up: Moto G Stylus 2025

The Moto G Stylus 2025 is a good alternative that brings a rugged design to this category. It isn’t as fast or doesn’t have cameras as good as the CMF Phone 2 Pro, but it lasts just as long, and the MIL-STD-810H rating means it can take a beating. It even gets a 3.5mm jack, and while you don’t get more than two software updates, Motorola is doing a better job with its UI in general, so there are no problems as such in this area.

Best camera phone: Google Pixel 10 Pro

Google's Pixel phones are practically a shoo-in for "best camera" in any given year. The Pixel line started with the goal of being the best, easiest-to-use camera, and Google builds on that tradition each year.

This year, Google introduced clever new ways to get everyone taking better pictures. From a Gemini-powered assistant that teaches you the rules of photography in real time across any scenario, to a locally processed AI-enhanced zoom, the Pixel 10 Pro is a powerful tool in anyone's pocket. Plus, the consistency of the Pixel camera experience means you know what to expect every time, even if the subject just won't hold still.

Runner-up: Oppo Find X9 Pro

The only reason the Oppo Find X9 Pro didn't win the best camera award is its limited availability. But, if you live in one of the countries where it's sold, there's simply no better smartphone camera on earth. Oppo leverages its partnership with Hasselblad brilliantly on this phone, resulting in the best selfies, portrait shots, and even zoomed-in shots from its telephoto camera. Power users can also snap up an external telephoto lens that delivers DSLR-level zoom, completing the picture of it as the ultimate smartphone camera experience.

Best foldable phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Is this really a surprise? Samsung finally released a foldable phone that looks like it belongs in 2025, and not 2022. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the thinnest foldable on the market, powered by the best that Qualcomm had to offer (at the time). Not to mention that Samsung still provides arguably the best software experience on foldable phones, making this one a no-brainer. But I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that we'll eventually see the return of S Pen support in the future.

Runner-up: Honor Magic V5

Best flip phone: Motorola Razr Ultra 2025

Motorola has been stepping it up in recent years with the Razr series, and it’s all culminated in one of the best flip phones we’ve ever seen this year: the Razr Ultra 2025. Not only does the phone continue to sport a large cover screen for easy app use, but it also comes with some seriously impressive specs. With the Snapdragon 8 Elite, 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, a large battery with fast 68W charging, and more, it almost makes its closest competitor, the Galaxy Z Flip 7, look like a midrange phone, while also rivaling the premium Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Motorola has also fully moved on from glass back panels, letting you choose from a selection of lovely alternative materials like vegan leather, wood, and Alcantara. So not only do you get a powerful flip phone, but a good-looking one, too!

Runner-up: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

Most improved Android brand: Samsung

Samsung showed that it can innovate when it needs to. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has an all-new design that’s significantly sleeker and lighter than its predecessors, resulting in a foldable that feels much better to use. Samsung made meaningful changes to the cameras as well, and it isn’t just with the foldables either: the Galaxy S25 Ultra also got better tuning this year, and the mid-range Galaxy A devices got a much-needed boost in this area.

Samsung truly showcased its innovation with the Galaxy Z TriFold; the tri-fold is legitimately interesting, and Samsung proved that it has the know-how to bring the device to global markets.