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OnePlus 11 Ultra? Lucky for Samsung, the best Android flagship is a phone OnePlus refuses to make

By Martin Filipov

Published: Apr 30, 2023, 8:02 AM

14comments

This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.

OnePlus 11 Ultra? Lucky for Samsung, the best Android flagship is a phone OnePlus refuses to make

Despite the fact that it isn’t available globally, the Oppo Find X6 Pro is one of the best Android phones in the world right now. Of course, that's subject to preference/opinion, but I think the “real camera vibe” and raw power of this phone makes it a top contender for phone of the year.

So, what if the Oppo Find X6 Pro was available in the US, UK, and Europe with a OnePlus logo on its back and a starting price of some $1,000-1,200? In other words, I’m asking what would happen if OnePlus made an “Ultra” version of the excellent OnePlus 11?

The picture I’m painting here might be far easier to imagine when you find out that Oppo, the maker of the Find X6 Pro and OnePlus share a parent company, called BBK - a Chinese Electronics Corporation.

The brands are separate but they have access to the same physical resources and engineers. The difference comes in the philosophy and target audience of each brand. As of now, Oppo is known as BBK’s “premium” brand that does above and beyond, while OnePlus has always been the “flagship-killer” player.

But would you buy a rebranded Oppo Find X6 Pro if it was the “OnePlus 11 Pro/Ultra”? Will OnePlus ever make that move? How would Samsung and Google feel about that? Let’s take a quick look…

"OnePlus 11 Ultra": The Ultra flagship OnePlus refuses to make could easily dominate Android (Samsung and Google)

The Oppo Find X6 Pro could easily turn into the “OnePlus 11 Ultra'', challenging (and likely beating) the likes of the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro.

Now, I won’t dive too deep into the Oppo Find X6 Pro because our dedicated Oppo Find X6 Pro review already does a pretty good job at that. Still, here are the major takeaways Daniel came up with after having played with one of the “best Android flagship” candidates for the first half of 2023…

The best zoom photo and video quality in low-light
The brightest display on a phone; touch-aware dynamic refresh rate
Symmetrical, ergonomic two-tone rear design version; clever design-matching cases
Very good battery life, ultrafast wired and wireless charging
Usable phone-based sleep tracking option
Silent call mode prevents conversation snooping

If that sounds/looks like the best Android flagship on the market right now, it’s because (according to many) it actually is. Of course, I’m not going to reference non-PhoneArena reviews, but that doesn’t mean I count only on our findings to judge the overall appeal and likeability of a phone.

In other words, plenty of other tech outlets, as well as social media users who’ve had their hands on this device have given the Oppo Find X6 Pro at least as high, or higher review scores than the likes of the Galaxy S23 Ultra or Pixel 7 Pro. This only reaffirms what a great job Oppo has done.

So, you can understand why I’m asking myself this very logical, very simple question - why wouldn’t OnePlus turn the Find X6 Pro into the OnePlus 11 Ultra and sweep all kinds of awards in the Android world?

If you know anything about OnePlus’ history of making flagship phones, a few things would stand out:

Before the OnePlus 11, the company went through many years of inconsistent lineups, with, and without vanilla and “Pro” flagship at various price points ($600-900)

In my humble opinion, OnePlus hasn’t made the best Android flagship phone on the market since the the distant 2019, when many enthusiasts considered the the OnePlus 7T Pro to be the best Android phone available at the time

Now, looking at our Oppo Find X6 Pro review takeaway (above), and knowing what phones like the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra can do, wouldn’t you agree that a $1,000-1,200 OnePlus 11 Ultra has a pretty good chance at challenging Samsung and Google in this ultra-premium price segment?

With super-fast charging capabilities, great battery life, arguably the best photography in the business, and one of the most eye-catching designs in recent smartphone history, the hypothetical “OnePlus 11 Ultra” could easily make the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra take the backseat - something they aren’t usually used to.

Speaking of cameras, of course, this is the department where the Oppo Find X6 Pro truly shines. Ironically, this is also where old and recent OnePlus flagships have lacked behind compared to Samsung and Google phones. So, you want to tell me that OnePlus has a chance to release one of the best camera phones of 2023 but decides not to go for it?

How come?! Well, let’s discuss that further…

“OnePlus Ultra”: Will OnePlus ever take a proper shot at Samsung & Co, or is the company back to its “flagship-killer” days?

You can now import the Oppo Find X6 Pro for around $1,000, which seems like a great deal. However, due to being officially sold only in China, importing the Find X6 Pro gets you an expensive Android flagship with some bloatware and limited to no software (and hardware) support. That’s exactly we need the Find X6 Pro to turn into a “OnePlus 11 Ultra”

Again, if you’ve paid attention to OnePlus in the past 2-3 years, you’d know how many times the company’s core strategy has shifted, going back and forth between “flagship-killers” to “proper flagships” with little to no success. Some say that’s why Carl Pei left and created Nothing (usually, that’s the low-hanging fruit of puns I’m ashamed to pick).

Now, the most recent development at the OnePlus headquarters is that the company is back to its “flagship-killer” roots, and judging by our OnePlus 11 review, the $700 starting price, and overall appeal for this phone, I can agree. But how long is OnePlus going to keep it up? To be fair, I’m in a bit of a conflict with myself here.

Here’s what I said about the OnePlus 11 back in January…

…I find it pivotal for OnePlus to get back on track and find its identity. The OnePlus 11 could be the first step in the right direction!

The reason I said “the OnePlus 11 could be the first step in the right direction” is because I was (and I am) a big supporter of the “flagship-killer” concept/phones like the OnePlus 11 and Pixel 7 that challenges the (expensive) status quo (read: Samsung, Apple). But just like Samsung, Apple and Google have shown us, a phone lineup is about more and better choice (sometimes too much choice and sneaky upselling strategies).

So, yes, I’m glad the “flagship-killer” OnePlus 11 exists, but I also want to see the OnePlus 11 Ultra (Oppo Find X6 Pro) take on the most premium of Android and Apple flagships and silence the critics. Rooting for the underdog feels good!

“OnePlus 11 Ultra” likely doesn’t exist because it’s too expensive to make and sell outside of China

To my disappointment and Samsung, Apple, and Google's joy, turning the Oppo Find X6 Pro into a OnePlus 11 Ultra is an unlikely step for parent company BBK.

Technically, rebranding an Oppo phone to turn it into an internationally-available OnePlus (or vice versa) is something that can be done with a snap of a finger. Examples for that are the the OnePlus N10 and OnePlus N100, which are rebranded Oppo phones (the latter is a rebranded Oppo A53s). However, things aren’t as simple.

See, although I’m a tech enthusiast who’d like to see an Ultra OnePlus flagship, the reality of the market is different. In other words, I see quite a few reasons OnePlus and Oppo (and their parent company BBK), purposely avoid releasing a “OnePlus 11 Ultra” despite this being as easy as changing the logo on the back of the Oppo Find X6 Pro and swapping out ColorOS for OxygenOS…

Although importing the Oppo Find X6 Pro would set you back just over $1,000 (a good deal for what some consider the best Android phone on the market), making and selling an internationally available “OnePlus 11 Ultra” (rebranded Find X6 Pro) would probably make for a global price of $1,200-1,400 (I’m judging by the Xiaomi 13 Pro - another ultra-premium Chinese phone that goes for €1,300 in Europe)

Although innovation and pushing the boundaries of what flagship phones are capable of is nice, OnePlus also wants/needs to sell phones; therefore a $1,200 OnePlus 11 Ultra might not be the best business bet given that this one would go up against the likes of phones with far greater brand loyalty (iPhone, Galaxy); Chinese phones with the latest and greatest hardware also achieve significantly lower profit margins compared to iPhone and Galaxy, which don’t need to try as hard

OnePlus has its eyes on the future, and (according to rumors) the company’s future involves foldable flagship phones from the tablet/clamshell variety; although folding phones also aren’t the most lucrative idea right now, it looks like OnePlus sees an opportunity to challenge Samsung in the global foldable market, likely transforming one/two of Oppo’s foldable flagships into a OnePlus Fold

And despite all of that… I still want to see a rebranded Oppo Find X6 Pro that becomes the “OnePlus 11 Ultra''. Imagine what this phone would do to future Samsung, Apple, and Google flagships! It’d push them harder, and that’s always good for the industry, and the consumer.

Apple and Samsung haven’t tried hard since forever. Come on, OnePlus? Pull a Huawei!

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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.