Is OnePlus 15’s Sand Storm color more than just a pretty face?

What you need to know

• OnePlus 15 features a unique camera design and advanced aerospace-grade durability.
• Launch color confirmed as Sand Storm, but the phone could show up in two other color options.
• Packed with an alleged 7,000 mAh battery and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.

OnePlus 15's first look dropped at the Qualcomm Summit last week; the device was shown off with its unique redesign, a squarish camera bump instead of its usual circular camera array. Qualcomm also told us the OnePlus 15 will be one of the first devices to launch with their all-new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, but we didn't get anything else when it came to the specs of the phone.

However, the company has confirmed a couple more aspects of its upcoming flagship and revealed one of its colors. In a press release, the company confirmed that the OnePlus 15 will launch in a Sand Storm colorway globally, and it will come built-in with aerospace-grade Micro-Arc Oxidation (MAO) to the middle frame and camera deco, becoming the first smartphone to get this standard of advanced durability.

Another leak on Weibo showed off the same device from all angles, including close shots of the camera setup and its display. Stating that the OnePlus 15 will allegedly have an ultra-minimalist design and ultra-narrow 1.15mm bezels that virtually disappear. The device will be extremely comfortable to hold, thanks to the large, rounded "golden corners," the post added.

"Aerospace-grade toughness arrives through a high-voltage plasma process that grows a ceramic coating directly on the metal frame - 3.4 times harder than aluminum mid frame and 1.3 times as tough as titanium mid frame," the Chinese OEM added. The OnePlus 15 is also said to get a feather-light fibre-glass back, which gives the device its premium feel.

OnePlus doesn't mention whether the entire lineup will receive aerospace-grade toughness, or if it is limited to the Sand Storm colorway. However, OnePlus does mention that the new flagship will show up with the brand’s latest cooling system to ensure sustained peak performance and efficiency.

While we don't know when the phone is to officially arrive, there has been some chatter with regard to the company launching the phone earlier than usual in the U.S. OnePlus said that it will confirm more details about its new flagship closer to launch.

Other than the now official Sand Storm color, the OnePlus 15 is expected to come in a black and purple colorway, as seen in previous leaks. As for the phone's specs, it will allegedly have three 50 MP rear cameras, optimized by OnePlus' new DetailMax image Engine to deliver "clarity and authenticity." Additionally, the device is expected to get a massive 7,000 mAh battery, and will allegedly show up with the OxygenOS 16 out of the box, could get an IP68 & 69 dust and water resistance rating, and have an Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.