Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- As previously rumored, the OnePlus 15 is expected to launch with a new in-house imaging engine.
- This move suggests Hasselblad branding may no longer appear on OnePlus flagships.
- The change would bring the OnePlus 15 camera process more in line with rivals like Samsung and Google.
After months of rumors, it looks like OnePlus’s big camera gamble is all but confirmed. A reliable tipster has revealed that the upcoming OnePlus 15 will ship with a new in-house imaging engine. The project has reportedly been in development for years, and it strongly suggests Hasselblad’s time on OnePlus flagships is over.
Yogesh Brar shared the news on X and later pointed to a follow-up report from Smartprix that describes the “Image Engine” as a full platform for photo and video processing. Rather than minor tuning tweaks, it’s designed to control the whole process, handling things like low-light performance and dynamic range in ways OnePlus hasn’t managed before.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority?
This is a major shift compared to the year-on-year evolution we usually see with new flagships. Hasselblad branding has been on OnePlus flagships since the OnePlus 9 series, shaping the look of its photos and adding signature touches. Many OnePlus fans will be concerned about how the move could play out, with our own Joe Maring suggesting that this could be a “critical mistake” when the OnePlus 15 camera rumors started spreading earlier in the summer.
The risks notwithstanding, the company looks ready to go it alone, especially as other big manufacturers like Samsung, Google, and Apple are all running their own imaging pipelines. Building everything in-house could help OnePlus move faster on updates and give it more consistency across devices. The real test will be whether the results are good enough to rival those heavy hitters.
Cameras aside, the OnePlus 15 has been tipped to arrive with a flat 6.78-inch OLED display, a 7,000mAh battery, and a SuperBlack finish that supposedly absorbs nearly all visible light. Storage could also be a selling point, starting at 256GB rather than the 128GB base storage found on the Google Pixel 10 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro.
Due to cultural reasons in China, OnePlus is expected to skip using 14 as a moniker, so the OnePlus 15 is next in line. It hasn’t been given a launch window yet, but based on convention, a global release in early 2026 seems likely.
Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.
