OnePlus has officially announced its next flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 15, at Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit in China. The device headlines a major step for the brand with in-house photo processing and powerful hardware upgrades, placing it among the first to feature the brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.
The launch also represents a strategic shift away from the company’s previous camera partnership, giving OnePlus full control over imaging quality and computational processing for its premium phones.
What Makes the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Special?
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 sets a new benchmark for mobile system-on-a-chip design. Its third-generation Oryon CPU introduces two prime cores clocked at 4.6GHz and six performance cores at 3.62GHz, improving CPU performance by 20 percent and AI processing by 37 percent over last year’s flagship chip.
The chip enables top-tier gaming, high-efficiency multitasking, and rapid computational imaging for smartphones like the OnePlus 15.
Besides OnePlus, early adopters include Xiaomi’s 17 series, which achieved commercial availability first.
We also expect other flagship devices from Samsung, Honor, Realme, and iQOO to launch soon with the new processor.
Did you know?
OnePlus’s DetailMax engine marks the brand’s first fully in-house imaging system for flagship phones, providing selective sharpening and computational realism without the legacy of Swedish camera partnerships.
How Does OnePlus’s DetailMax Engine Work?
OnePlus developed the DetailMax imaging engine as a direct answer to customer feedback demanding sharper and more realistic photos. It features proprietary algorithms for computational photography that emphasize clarity without unnatural beautification, delivering lifelike and detailed images.
Pete Lau, the OnePlus founder, highlighted that images are engineered to retain sharpness and realism even under close inspection.
This marks OnePlus’s first flagship camera system not branded by Hasselblad, relying on improved hardware and software synergy instead.
Why Did OnePlus End Its Hasselblad Partnership?
The five-year collaboration with Hasselblad ended in September, paving the way for OnePlus to pursue its own imaging philosophy. The company believes in leveraging computational techniques rather than relying solely on external lens branding, asserting that modern user expectations focus on natural-shot quality over post-processing effects.
Hasselblad branding will remain absent, allowing the DetailMax system to take center stage and offer enhanced depth and color realism designed for advanced photography requirements.
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What Are the Design and Display Upgrades?
The OnePlus 15 debuts a square-shaped camera module with rounded corners, showing a substantial change from last year’s circular design. The phone launches in classic black, with additional purple and titanium options rumored.
The display is upgraded to a 165Hz refresh rate, well above the previous 120Hz, promising ultra-smooth visual performance for gaming and multimedia.
Battery capacity is reported at an impressive 7,000 to 7,300mAh, supported by 120W fast charging, making the phone ideal for power users focused on both camera and gaming.
When Is the OnePlus 15 Launching Globally?
After its first reveal in China, the OnePlus 15 is scheduled for a local launch in October. International sales are expected to begin November 13, bringing the device to regions including North America and Europe.
The global rollout intends to capitalize on demand for new imaging systems and high-performance Android flagships.
OnePlus’s latest advancements are likely to intensify competition among flagship smartphones, shifting user expectations in photography and pushing the limits of design and display technology.
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