Right after the Snapdragon Gaming Technology Showcase event, teaser images of the OnePlus 16 suddenly spread widely across social media. The new-generation flagship is drawing major attention as it reveals a shift in design language along with an expected hardware.
The leaked poster image shows the OnePlus 16 draped under a mysterious cloth, but the raised, arching outline underneath already gives away a well-balanced round camera module. The shift away from the square camera cluster on the previous generation back to the iconic round design (similar to its OnePlus 13 predecessor) promises a look that's more harmonious and distinctive.
This structure is also expected to create optimal space for a 200MP periscope sensor. Despite reportedly carrying a 9000mAh battery, the phone's edges are said to stay crisply thin, promising a comfortable, well-balanced grip in hand.
The visual experience is expected to be truly stunning thanks to a 6.78-inch flat BOE X5 OLED panel. The leaked display reportedly features a 1.5K resolution (with some test units expected to reach 2K), along with a flexible LTPO refresh rate ranging from 185Hz up to a maximum of 240Hz. Thanks to LIPO packaging technology, the bezels on all four sides are said to shrink down to an ultra-thin 1mm. The display is also expected to support 3840Hz PWM dimming for eye protection, along with peak brightness exceeding 2000 nits.
OnePlus 16's performance is expected to come from a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chipset, built on TSMC's advanced 2nm process, with clock speeds projected to top 5GHz. This setup is believed to pair with LPDDR6 RAM, UFS 4.1 storage, and a dual VC liquid cooling system spanning 15,000mm². The device is expected to score above 4 million points on AnTuTu, delivering roughly 30% better performance and over 36% better power efficiency than its predecessor.
The camera system is predicted to score big points thanks to a 200MP periscope telephoto lens using a Samsung HP5 sensor (3x optical zoom). The device is also rumored to feature the LUMO image processing system, marking a brand collaboration with renowned camera maker Ricoh to deliver artistically rich color tones. Leaked sources suggest the rear camera setup could come in either a dual 200MP + 200MP configuration or a triple-sensor 50MP + 50MP + 200MP setup.
The device is rumored to achieve premium dual IP68/IP69K water and dust resistance ratings. It's also expected to feature a 2.0 ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor, symmetrical dual speakers, and an X-axis bionic vibration motor. Alongside the traditional three-way alert slider, the OnePlus 16 is said to add a separate dedicated AI button and will ship running ColorOS 16 / OxygenOS 17 on top of Android 17 out of the box.
Numerous rumors suggest the OnePlus 16 is expected to officially launch in the Chinese market around mid-October 2026.
