The OnePlus 16 is still months away from launch, but leaks have already started revealing some interesting details about the phone. Based on recent reports, OnePlus may be planning major upgrades in zoom photography, battery life, and display technology.
According to tipster Yogesh Brar, the OnePlus 16 will feature a 50MP primary camera. This comes at a time when several smartphone brands are already testing 200MP main cameras for upcoming flagship phones. Reports suggest brands like OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, and iQOO are all working on phones with 200MP primary sensors. But OnePlus may continue using a 50MP camera instead.
At first, this may sound disappointing, but camera quality is not only about megapixels.
A good 50MP sensor can actually perform better than a 200MP sensor in many situations. Higher megapixel sensors usually have much smaller pixels, which means they capture less light. This can affect low-light photography and image quality. While brands use pixel binning to improve results, larger 50MP sensors still tend to deliver more natural-looking photos with better dynamic range.
The OnePlus 15 reportedly came with a smaller 1/1.56-inch sensor compared to the larger 1/1.43-inch sensor on the OnePlus 13. Many users felt the OnePlus 15 camera system was not as impressive as the OnePlus 13, despite being newer.
If OnePlus keeps using a smaller sensor again, some users may not be happy.
Reports also suggest that the company is focusing heavily on zoom photography this year. OnePlus 16 could feature a 200MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. If true, this would be one of the biggest camera upgrades on the phone. A high-resolution periscope lens can improve zoom shots, portraits, and long-distance photography.
This should help OnePlus compete better with brands like vivo and Xiaomi, which are currently leading in smartphone zoom photography.
Another leak from Weibo tipster Smart Pikachu claims the OnePlus 16 is also being tested with a 185Hz display, AI buttons, and a battery close to 9,000mAh capacity. The battery upgrade sounds especially impressive. Even the OnePlus 15 already featured a huge 7,300mAh battery. If OnePlus actually manages to fit a battery close to 9,000mAh inside the OnePlus 16 without making the phone too thick or heavy, it could become one of the biggest battery upgrades seen in a flagship smartphone.
The rumored 185Hz display is also interesting, although most users may not notice a huge difference compared to 120Hz panels in daily usage. Still, it could help OnePlus market the phone as a gaming-focused flagship.
The AI buttons are another interesting addition. Smartphone brands are currently experimenting with dedicated AI-related hardware features. Apple added Camera Control, Nothing introduced the Essential Key, and now OnePlus may also be planning something similar.
OnePlus 16 seems to be an interesting upgrade. Instead of only focusing on raw performance numbers, OnePlus is putting more attention on battery life, zoom photography, and AI features. If the leaks turn out to be accurate, the OnePlus 16 could become a much bigger upgrade than the OnePlus 15.
