The OnePlus 15 may steal Samsung’s thunder with an earlier launch globally

OnePlus not too long ago unveiled the OnePlus 15 at a Qualcomm occasion in China, following months of leaks and hypothesis about its new flagship gadget. In the course of the occasion, the tech large confirmed that the OnePlus 15 shall be one of many first telephones to be geared up with Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and can characteristic a 165Hz show.

The OnePlus 15 is broadly anticipated to launch this month in China, with leaks suggesting it might occur at an occasion on October 27. Nevertheless, what was a lot much less sure was when the cellphone would launch globally and within the US. Whereas OnePlus normally launches its flagship handsets in October in China, they sometimes do not launch globally till the brand new yr. Fortuitously, this yr, that would change.

Based on 91Mobiles, which cites business sources, the OnePlus 15 might launch globally on November 13, simply two weeks after its debut in China, relatively than two months, as has been the case in earlier years. For reference, the OnePlus 13 launched on October 31, 2024, in China, but it surely did not arrive within the US and different markets till January 7, 2025.

OnePlus may get the soar on Samsung

The OnePlus 15 might be accessible a lot earlier within the US than the S26 sequence

If the OnePlus 15 does in truth launch globally this yr, that will be an enormous win for the corporate, as not solely does it imply it is going to be one of many first Android telephones accessible within the US with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, but it surely additionally means it might beat the Samsung Galaxy S26 sequence to the broader market by two entire months.

Whereas there are not any particular leaks but about when Samsung may launch the Galaxy S26 sequence, primarily based on its previous releases for the Galaxy S25 and S24 sequence, it’s more likely to happen in mid-to-late January or early February. Usually, the launch of recent OnePlus and Samsung flagships within the US is just separated by a number of weeks. If the OnePlus 15 launches on November 13, it will give OnePlus considerably extra time to market and promote the OnePlus 15 globally earlier than the S26 sequence comes out.

In a press launch in regards to the unveiling of the OnePlus 15 in September, OnePlus teased that extra particulars about its flagship handset “shall be launched over the approaching weeks,” so we probably will not have to attend for much longer to search out out when the cellphone will launch.

Credit score: OnePlus

Fortuitously, within the meantime, OnePlus has launched high-resolution photos of the OnePlus 15 and shared additional insights into the cellphone’s design. Notably, the OnePlus 15 encompasses a new sq. digicam cutout, with a flat entrance, again, and body, eerily paying homage to the iPhone, marking a departure from its previous handsets, which had a round digicam bar. OnePlus highlighted that a part of the chassis is made out of “aerospace-grade nano-ceramic metallic,” which the corporate claims is “stronger than titanium” and presents higher warmth dissipation.

The 2 colours confirmed for the OnePlus 15 to date are a black colorway and a brand new shade referred to as “sand storm,” which is prominently featured within the formally launched images of the cellphone. What we additionally know is that the cellphone may have “ultra-thin” 1.15mm display bezels, its show may have a 165Hz refresh charge, a notable soar from the OnePlus 13’s 120Hz refresh charge, and as I discussed earlier, be powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.

Personally, this leak makes me way more excited in regards to the OnePlus 15, and I actually hope it seems to be true. Getting the cellphone two months sooner than regular could be superb, for the reason that lengthy wait after its launch in China has all the time been a bit irritating. After all, that is only a leak for now, so take it with a grain of salt. Hopefully, OnePlus will share extra particulars in regards to the official launch date quickly.