The OnePlus 15’s leaked design feels like a phone without a clear identity

It may be hard to believe, but it’s already been nearly a year since the OnePlus 13 launched in China, which means its successor is just around the corner. OnePlus’ next-generation flagship phone, likely the OnePlus 15, is widely expected to launch in China in October, followed by a global release in the new year.

Qualcomm has also announced the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Elite — the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset — a telltale sign that new Android flagship phones powered by it will arrive soon. One of the first to feature it is expected to be the OnePlus 15, and if you’ve been curious about what it will look like, an image of the phone’s design has leaked courtesy of a user on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. You can check out the leaked image below.

The first thing you’ll likely notice is that it looks nothing like the OnePlus 13. The iconic circular camera is gone, and the OnePlus 15 could feature a square camera cutout, similar to the iPhone 16 Pro. The names of three colors for the OnePlus 15 are reportedly (from left to right in that photo): absolute black, mist purple, and dune. According to GSMArena, dune (the silver color) will be the main color, meaning that’s what you’ll see most in the phone’s marketing.

Brand

OnePlus

SoC

Snapdragon 8 Elite

Display

6.82-inch, 3168 × 1440 pixel resolution (510ppi) 120Hz adaptive refresh

The latest and greatest flagship handset from OnePlus, featuring the all-new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and IP69 water and dust resistance. 

Is OnePlus having an identity crisis?

For me, the circular camera bar was a defining part of its identity

When I first saw this leaked image of the OnePlus 15, my initial thought was, “oh no, what have they done?” Upon reflection, I still feel that way, and one reason is because the camera bar looks really weird with the camera rings separated. It just doesn’t sit right with me, and it’s especially apparent in the purple and silver colors. But there’s more to it than that.

What I loved about the OnePlus 13 was its distinct appearance, which set it apart from any other smartphone on the market. However, looking at what could be the OnePlus 15, I don’t get the same feeling. The circular camera bar that OnePlus has used over the years helped create a distinct identity for the phones. You’d see it and say to yourself, “That’s a OnePlus phone.” If this leak proves to be true and this is indeed the design of the OnePlus 15, I believe OnePlus may be facing an identity crisis, having shifted its focus to merely resembling an iPhone.

Since OnePlus ended its partnership with Hasselblad for its camera system, I knew it would probably shake up the design of the OnePlus 15 this year. The OnePlus 13s, which was exclusively released in India and China earlier this year, was a sign of things to come.

Of course, this image of the OnePlus 15 is just a leak, so it’s entirely possible the phone could look different, but given how close we are to its launch, I have a hard time believing it won’t look like this. And since the OnePlus 13s opted for a square camera design, it makes me think OnePlus was using it as a precursor to the OnePlus 15.

Aside from the questionable rear camera design, the OnePlus 15 is expected to bring some welcome upgrades. For one, it’s rumored to have a huge 7,000mAh battery, a significant improvement over the OnePlus 13’s 6,000mAh. And as I mentioned earlier, it’s also likely to be powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, which is shaping up to be a performance powerhouse.

Turning to the display, the OnePlus 15 is rumored to feature a flat 6.7-inch display with a 1.5K resolution and a dynamic refresh rate of up to 165Hz, a notable improvement over the OnePlus 13’s maximum refresh rate of 120Hz.

If you’re wondering why OnePlus has opted to name it the OnePlus 15 instead of the OnePlus 14, it’s reportedly because the number four is considered unlucky in China, so it’s skipping from 13 to 15. With all that in mind, the OnePlus 15 is expected to be revealed in October, so the wait to see what the final design will look like isn’t far off.