OnePlus 16 is confirmed to get a massive camera upgrade

The OnePlus 16 was always expected to be one of the most interesting smartphones coming this fall, even when everything we knew about it was based only on rumors. After OnePlus finally started revealing some of the details about its upcoming flagship, including its design, colors, RAM, and storage options, the impression was only strengthened. 

Now, the company has even more details, making the phone even more intriguing.

OnePlus 16 will officially have a 200MP main camera and a new telephoto sensor

After giving us a first look at the OnePlus 16, the company is now sharing details about its camera system in a series of Weibo posts. Probably the most interesting part of the specs is the new 200MP main camera, which was subject to multiple rumors over the last few months.

While it’ll match the resolution of the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Xiaomi 18 Pro’s cameras, the main camera of the OnePlus 16 will use a smaller 1/1.4-inch sensor and a f/1.6 lens. The specs fit with the Samsung ISOCELL HP3 image sensor, which was first launched back in 2022.

The other two cameras on the back are using 50MP sensors, with the 3x periscope telephoto camera switching to a larger Sony IMX882 sensor. The ultra-wide camera, on the other hand, seems unchanged from last year, while the selfie camera is getting a boost from a 32MP to a 50MP sensor and autofocus support.

OnePlus 16 is getting some of Oppo’s tricks

Considering that OnePlus is a subsidiary of Oppo, it’s not surprising that the OnePlus 16 will support the Oppo Lumo color engine. While the Chinese giant broke up with Hasselblad last year, the new flagship will get a 65:24 Wide-Field mode, inspired by the Hasselblad XPan format. 

There are also improvements to the Expert Mode, which should offer a more natural look, and photos with a film-like feeling straight out of the camera.

OnePlus has already revealed that the phone will come in colors called Dark Forest, Mars Masterpiece, and Tomorrow’s Starlight. Translated to actual color names, the first two are pretty standard black and light orange. Tomorrow’s Starlight comes with the number 16 and celestial coordinates embedded on the back panel, which will also support different lighting effects.

Besides the colors, OnePlus has already revealed that the new flagship is getting one of the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chips, but it’s yet to confirm whether this will be the base or the Extreme version. There will be four memory configurations, ranging from 12GB RAM with 256GB storage to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage.

Don't expect it anywhere outside of China

Reaction to the OnePlus 16 on social media could’ve been very positive, but instead it’s mostly revolving around its limited release. Users on Reddit are sharing their anger at the company for not launching the phone internationally, which they say would make it irrelevant.



While there’s no official information about the specific launch date, the device is probably coming out sometime next month. OnePlus has already left the US and European markets, and a recent report made it clear that it’s very unlikely for the new flagship to reach even India. However, folks in China can already pre-reserve the OnePlus 16.

A huge loss for the Western markets

I’ve said that before, but losing OnePlus is one of the worst things that has happened to the smartphone market this year, and the OnePlus 16 makes it feel even worse. The company has already offering a very competent alternative to the likes of the Galaxy S26 and the iPhone 17, but this new model appears even better. Considering the ongoing memory price crisis, it's unlikely for a new alternative to appear anytime soon, which makes the loss even worse.

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