OnePlus 16 release date expectations, price estimates, and upgrades
The OnePlus 15 for illustrative purposes. | Image by OnePlus
OnePlus 16: what to expect
What's expected to change vs the OnePlus 15:
- A OnePlus 16 Pro or Ultra is possible to come with the OnePlus 16
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chip
- Potentially even thinner bezels
- The device may feature a 200 MP camera sensor, corroborated by most rumors
- 240 Hz dynamic refresh rate for the display
- LPDDR6 type of RAM for blazing fast speed
- The telephoto camera may also be getting upgraded
- New battery tech could bring a staggering 9,000 mAh battery cell
- The OnePlus 16 is said to debut in the fall of 2026.
- However, OnePlus may be shutting down business in the U.S., EU, and U.K., so the OnePlus 16 may not make it to those markets.
Expected price:
- OnePlus is having price hikes in some markets, and those are official.
Jump to:
OnePlus 16 release date
The OnePlus 16 is expected to be unveiled in late 2026. As usual, the brand will probably first release the phone in China before making it available globally.
| Device family | Announcement | Global release |
|---|---|---|
| OnePlus 16 | Fall 2026* | Fall 2026* |
| OnePlus 15 | October 27, 2025 | November 13, 2025 |
| OnePlus 13 | October 31, 2024 | January 7, 2025 |
* - probable dates
However, there's an unfortunate twist here you need to hear about.
A recent (now deleted) leak from reputable tipster Yogesh Brar hinted that OnePlus may potentially stop selling its smartphones in certain markets. According to Brar, OnePlus may continue selling its phones in China, India may get mid-range and budget devices, and... well, the fate of OnePlus availability in the U.S., U.K., and EU is just up in the air.
The possibility of OnePlus changing its strategy was recently backed up by staff cuts in the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany. It's possible that low sales in these regions led to the layoffs, suggesting the company could be rethinking its focus.
A source, reportedly from OnePlus, spoke to 9to5Google and confirmed that OnePlus will be ceasing operations in certain regions in April 2026. Those include some parts of Europe. Reportedly, selected staff was informed about this decision and received severance packages ahead of the shutdown.
Another hint that indicates OnePlus is shifting its global strategy is the recent shift to an online-first sale method in India. Reportedly, the company is shutting down its partner-run stores across India.
But, as with anything that's a leak, we can't be 100% certain until OnePlus announces things officially.
OnePlus 16 price
For the moment, we expect a similar pricing strategy to the OnePlus 15's. If OnePlus decides to include an Ultra model this year, it could, understandably, be the more expensive option.
| OnePlus model | 256GB of storage | 512GB of storage | 1TB of storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| OnePlus 16 | $899* | $999* | - |
| OnePlus 15 | $899 | $999 | - |
| OnePlus 13 | $899 | $999 | - |
*- anticipated prices
However, a recent leak by reputable tipster Digital Chat Station indicates that the OnePlus 16 may actually come with a higher price tag. The leaker doesn't give us the exact price the flagship may have in the U.S., but the Chinese price has been reportedly raised.
Price hikes of OnePlus and Oppo phones in China have been announced and have already been implemented. In China, some OnePlus models have become almost 20% more expensive.
The current increases are limited to China. Obviously, we don't know if OnePlus will continue selling these phones in the global market to begin with, so there's that.
Samsung's recent Galaxy S26 series got a price hike, and Oppo is also raising prices.
OnePlus 16 camera
OnePlus 16 rumored camera setup:
- 200 MP main camera
- 50 MP ultra-wide camera
- 40 MP 3.5x telephoto camera
This is not a new thing. A similar situation happened with the Oppo Find N5 and the OnePlus 15, so there's precedent for it.
Recently, another tipster backed the camera upgrade rumor. Tipster Smart Pikachu claimed that the periscope sensor may be a 50 MP one, or at least, that option was being tested.
Now, Smart Pikachu gives us even more exciting news about the OnePlus 16's camera. According to this report, the OnePlus 16 may feature Realme's 200 MP imaging solution for its telephoto unit. So, this rumored-earlier 50 MP camera may actually be an even better one, equipped with 200 MP resolution.
Obviously, that hints OnePlus is prepping a serious upgrade for us with the 16. With the OnePlus 15, the company dropped the Hasselblad logo, and it now uses its DetailMax proprietary image engine.
In our OnePlus 15 review, we found that the images have improved and come with less excessive over-sharpening. Zoom quality was also improved on the phone.
OnePlus 16 storage
The OnePlus 16 is not expected to bring changes to the storage department. Its predecessor had a 1 TB option for the Chinese market. It's likely the situation will repeat itself for yet another year.
OnePlus 16 rumored storage capacity:
- 256 GB
- 512 GB
- 1 TB
OnePlus 16 design
The OnePlus 16 is possibly getting extremely thin bezels surrounding the display. OnePlus flagships already come with extremely thin bezels, but apparently, OnePlus may have found a way to shave them down even further.
According to tipster Old Chen Air on Weibo, the OnePlus 16's refined bezels may be thinner than 1 mm.
Machine-translated post on social media website Weibo about the OnePlus 16 bezels. | Image by Weibo
Currently, the OnePlus 15 sports 1.15 mm thin bezels, and on paper, the change may not look as huge. However, in real life, it should be fairly noticeable.
OnePlus 15 from the front, for reference. | Image by PhoneArena
Rumors suggest the OnePlus 16 may feature even slimmer display bezels, but its overall look remains a bit of a mystery. OnePlus has been experimenting with its flagship designs lately, especially with the shape of the camera housing, so it's hard to say if the company will stick with the current style or try something new.
For now, leaks are quiet on specifics. However, it's a safe bet that the phone may keep its premium glass-and-metal build, and the trendy flat edges may be here to stay.
As you can see above, OnePlus isn't "settled" yet on a camera island look, it seems. Which is actually a good thing, as design innovation is always exciting.
OnePlus 16 display
OnePlus phones have excellent displays in general, but that doesn't mean that OnePlus has decided to settle.
| Phone | Screen size | Brightness |
|---|---|---|
| OnePlus 16 | 6.78 inches* | 1,800* |
| OnePlus 15 | 6.78 inches | 1,800 nits |
* - anticipated sizes
The OnePlus 15 already sports an impressive 165 Hz display refresh rate, which is more than flagships like the Galaxy S26 Ultra or the iPhone 17 Pro Max are capable of.
And the company is taking things even further and testing a 240 Hz display refresh rate for its upcoming flagship phone. This info comes from leaker OnePlus Club on X, an account with a good track record for OnePlus leaks.
That 240 Hz display refresh rate would be double the 120 Hz one that most competing phones offer. The smoothness change would be most noticeable in gaming and less noticeable in real-life actions, but it will be there, and it's, again, exceptional.
Apart from that, you can expect a gorgeous 6.78-inch AMOLED display with either 1.5K or 2K resolution.
OnePlus 16 battery
The battery of the OnePlus 16 is also going to get upgraded this time. The "Never Settle" company is now reportedly planning to wipe the floor with the competition thanks to a huge battery cell upgrade.
The OnePlus 16 is said to feature a whopping 9,000 mAh battery cell. The OnePlus 15 is already way ahead of the competing iPhones and Galaxies with a 7,300 mAh battery cell.
This battery is reportedly going to come with Glacier Battery technology and branding. This high-density tech, developed alongside CATL, allows for a huge capacity and better cooling without making the phone bulky.
OnePlus is already the leader in charging speeds as well, and that likely won't change. The previous model offered up to 120W wired charging, which basically crushed the competition, and we expect the 16 to be just as fast, if not faster.
For reference, the 7,300 mAh battery in the OnePlus 15 was already a beast, lasting through 30 hours of browsing or over 14 hours of gaming in tests. Moving to a 9,000 mAh cell would take that endurance to a whole new level.
OnePlus is already the leader in charging speeds as well, and that likely won't change. The previous model offered up to 120W wired charging, which basically crushed the competition, and we expect the 16 to be just as fast, if not faster.
For reference, the 7,300 mAh battery in the OnePlus 15 was already a beast, lasting through 30 hours of browsing or over 14 hours of gaming in tests. Moving to a 9,000 mAh cell would take that endurance to a whole new level.
OnePlus 16 features and software
The OnePlus 16 is expected to run on the custom Oxygen OS 17 interface on top of Android 17. The new Android is focused on refining the aesthetic look of the OS with new blur effects across the board. An app-locking feature is also expected with the new OS.
Google recently unveiled Android 17 and Gemini Intelligence, but it's not clear how many of these features will make it to OnePlus' flagship device.
Nevertheless, rest assured that generative AI features will be present with the OnePlus 16, and the existing tools from the OnePlus 15 (including AI Detail Boost, Unblur, and Circle to Search) may get upgraded.
OnePlus 16 hardware and specs
OnePlus 16 expected specs:
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro
- RAM: 12, 16 GB, LPDDR6 RAM
- Battery: 9,000 mAh
- Charging: 80-100W wired, 50 W wireless
- Storage: 256, 512 GB, 1 TB
- Camera setup: 200 MP main, 50 MP ultra-wide, 50 MP telephoto (3.5x optical zoom)
Under the hood, the OnePlus 16 is rumored to be powered by the successor of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Word is that Qualcomm may split the chip lineup this time around and may offer both a standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and a high-performance Pro version.
The OnePlus 16 and the Galaxy S27 Ultra are reportedly coming with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro.
According to reputable tipster Digital Chat Station, the processor may feature 16 MB L2 cache, 8 MB SLC cache, and 18 MP GMEM cache, which should provide exceptional performance.
Meanwhile, another leak indicates that the OnePlus 16 may come with LPDDR6 memory. LPDDR6 memory ensures even faster speeds than the RAM we have currently on flagships (which is LPDDR5).
Additionally, the new RAM type is likely to be more power-efficient, including when it comes to on-device AI tasks.
All in all, all signs point to the OnePlus 16 being a true powerhouse when it hits the shelves. Hopefully, it hits global shelves as well.
Should I wait for the OnePlus 16?
- You should wait for the OnePlus 16 if you currently have the OnePlus 13 or an older OnePlus or any other phone, basically. The OnePlus 16 looks very promising, especially if you're someone who'd need a flagship phone with a huge battery.
- You should not wait for the OnePlus 16 if you don't care about any of the rumored upgrades, including the battery or the refresh rate. You should probably not wait for this phone if you have just bought a new flagship as well, including the newest Galaxy S26 Ultra.
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