OnePlus 16 may feature an even faster display
After using a 165Hz display on the OnePlus 15, the company may try to go even higher with its successor. Earlier rumors claimed that OnePlus was exploring options to feature a 240Hz panel on its flagship, but that may not happen.Instead, the OnePlus 16 may feature a display with a 185Hz refresh rate, according to a new leak (source in Chinese) from Chinese tipster Smart Pikachu. Even if that’s a smaller number than previous reports suggested, it’s still higher than most other devices on the market, including the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Unsurprisingly, that display is also expected to feature symmetrical bezels all around. The device could also come with an AI button, though there aren’t any details about its potential features.
There will be a 200MP camera on board
The iPhone 17 Pro is already behind many of the OnePlus 15 specs. | Image by PhoneArena
Another key feature that could see a massive upgrade this year is the triple camera on the back of the OnePlus 16. The device is expected to feature a 200MP sensor, which will be used on the telephoto camera with triple zoom.
While earlier rumors were mixed about the main camera specs, respected leaker Yogesh Brar says that the OnePlus 16 will feature a 50MP sensor on it. That’s in line with some previous leaks, though there were also claims that the 200MP sensor would be used in the main camera.
Either way, the OnePlus 16 will get a necessary camera upgrade, and it may also feature an enormous 9,000 mAh battery. It is all but certain that it’ll feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro with at least 12GB of RAM.
Reaching new heights
OnePlus 16 certainly sounds like a massive upgrade that would eclipse everything we expect from the iPhone 18 Pro and the Pixel 11 Pro. Neither Apple nor Google is expected to go for 200MP cameras, much larger batteries, or exciting new displays.
However, other Chinese flagship manufacturers are not letting OnePlus get too far ahead. While devices like the Vivo X300 Ultra and Oppo Find X9 Ultra already came with double 200MP cameras, Xiaomi is expected to follow suit with at least one of the Xiaomi 18 models. In the case of Xiaomi, all its phones are also rumored to feature over 7,000 mAh batteries.
The great smartphone divide gets even larger
I’ve been amused by how different the Chinese ultra flagships are compared to the leading Galaxies, iPhones, and Pixels, but this year things could get extreme. Western companies were lagging, but now we may need to start talking about a growing divide between what they’re offering and what’s technically possible.
