The OnePlus 15 could take a step back in camera quality

While OnePlus has been busy recently launching the OnePlus 13s and the OnePlus Pad 3, many fans are curious about the company’s next major flagship smartphone release, which could potentially be the OnePlus 15.

Leaks suggest the phone could be named the OnePlus 15 instead of the OnePlus 14, as the number four is considered unlucky in China. Now, a brand-new leak suggests the OnePlus 15 could experience a significant camera change.

Digital Chat Station, a well-known leaker on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, suggests that OnePlus will do its own camera branding for the OnePlus 15, which means the company may not partner with Hasselblad for the phone’s camera system as it has done in the past (via Android Headlines).

Hasselblad is a Swedish camera company known for its renowned cameras and color tuning, so OnePlus discontinuing its collaboration with them for the OnePlus 15 could be a significant risk.

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OnePlus has been partnered with Hasselblad since the OnePlus 9

This change could affect the quality of the phone’s cameras

OnePlus and Hasselblad have been partners since 2021 with the launch of the OnePlus 9 series, marking a collaboration that has lasted nearly four years. If OnePlus chooses to pursue its own independent camera branding for the OnePlus 15, it presents a risk for the company. On one hand, this could make the phone more affordable; on the other hand, it might lead to compromised camera quality if OnePlus’ own camera branding isn’t up to par yet.

In recent years, OnePlus phones have earned a reputation for their cameras. Both the OnePlus 12 and the OnePlus 13 incorporate outstanding cameras that deliver high-quality, color-accurate shots with help from Hasselblad for image tuning, so it would be unfortunate to see this partnership come to an end.

Turning to the camera specifications of the OnePlus 15, there are conflicting leaks regarding them. One leak indicates that the OnePlus 15 will feature a triple 50-megapixel camera setup on the back, consisting of a primary wide lens, an ultra-wide lens, and a 3x periscope zoom (via Android Central). However, another leak suggests that it will be equipped with a 200-megapixel periscope lens instead of a 50-megapixel.

As for the internals of the OnePlus 15, it may utilize the SM8550 chip from Qualcomm, which is anticipated to be the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset that launched last year. The naming of the chipset could potentially be the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, but that has yet to be confirmed.

Lastly, another leak about the OnePlus 15 reveals that it could have a 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO flat display. This is a slight downgrade from the OnePlus 13, which comes with a 6.82-inch 2K LTPO curved display.

It’s important to note that all this information comes from early leaks about the OnePlus 15, so take it with a grain of salt for now. There is still considerable time until the phone launches, potentially at the end of 2025 or early 2026, so a lot could change between now and then. I hope OnePlus continues its collaboration with Hasselblad, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it decides to move on and further develop its own camera branding.

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