Hawaii, USA — On September 25, 2025, OnePlus unveiled its next-generation flagship, the OnePlus 15, making it the world’s first commercial smartphone to ship with Qualcomm’s all-new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform. The announcement took place during Qualcomm’s annual Snapdragon Summit and signals OnePlus’s aggressive push into the performance-and-AI era of mobile devices.
At the launch event, OnePlus executives presented the 15 as a generational leap—skipping the “14” moniker entirely—to underscore the scale of change under the hood. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the device promises substantial gains in sustained speed, efficiency, and on-device intelligence.
Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 just days earlier, touting a third-generation Oryon CPU, an upgraded GPU, and a significantly more capable neural processing unit (NPU). The chip supports on-device AI workloads that adapt over time, and includes support for the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec and a more efficient performance envelope.
OnePlus is pairing this new silicon with its own DetailMax image engine, replacing the previous Hasselblad branding and signaling a new direction in computational photography. During the keynote, the company emphasized how DetailMax will work in tandem with the improved ISP (image signal processor) in the Elite Gen 5 chip to deliver greater clarity, richer detail, and smarter AI enhancements in everyday snapshots and video.
Beyond raw performance and imaging, the OnePlus 15 introduces new durability credentials. The “Sand Storm” variant is coated with aerospace-grade micro-arc oxidation ceramic, which OnePlus says is 3.4× harder than aluminum and 1.3× tougher than titanium, complemented by a fiberglass rear. The design also reveals a departure from the brand’s signature circular camera module: early teasers show a square or pill-shaped island with multiple sensors.
Internally, rumors point to a 165 Hz LTPO OLED display, a large “Glacier Battery” of up to ~7,300 mAh, and fast charging—potentially in the 100–120 W range. t thereafter.
Industry watchers see the OnePlus 15 as a bold statement in the flagship space: it combines cutting-edge silicon, reworked imaging strategy, and rugged materials in one package. Whether those ambitions translate into real-world gains — particularly in efficiency and AI responsiveness — will emerge once the device reaches testers and consumers in the weeks ahead.
