OnePlus has started teasing the OnePlus 16 ahead of its expected launch in China. While the company isn’t revealing much yet, its first teaser hints at the return of the circular camera design while promising significant gaming upgrades for its next flagship.
The teaser follows REDMI’s announcement that the K100 Pro series will launch on August 11, setting up another flagship battle in the coming months.
During the Snapdragon Gaming Technology Showcase, OnePlus China Brand General Manager Liu Baoyou highlighted the company’s gaming efforts and revealed that OnePlus posted 13% year-over-year sales growth in the first half of 2026, making it the fastest-growing smartphone brand during the period.
Liu also confirmed that OnePlus’ three proprietary gaming technologies are getting major upgrades:
- Fengchi Gaming Kernel
- Extreme High Refresh Rate
- Esports Triple-Chip
The upgraded technologies will debut on the OnePlus 16, with OnePlus promising next-generation gaming performance.
Circular camera could return
A teaser poster circulating on Chinese social media also hints at a redesigned OnePlus 16.
While the image has yet to be verified by OnePlus, it appears to show a circular rear camera module, replacing the square camera island introduced on the OnePlus 15. If accurate, it would mark the return of the circular design last seen on the OnePlus 13.
An AI-generated render based on the teaser has also surfaced online, showing a design that resembles last year’s realme GT 8 series. However, both the teaser and render remain unofficial.
Rumored specifications
Leaks suggest the OnePlus 16 will feature:
- 6.78-inch LTPO OLED display
- 1.5K resolution
- 185Hz refresh rate
- Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro
- Around 9,000mAh battery
- 100W wired charging
- 50W wireless charging
- Android 16-based ColorOS 17
- X-axis bionic vibration motor
- Symmetrical dual speakers
- IP68/IP69 dust and water resistance
Reports also claim the OnePlus 16 will launch in China in early October.
As always, aside from the gaming technologies officially mentioned by OnePlus, the phone’s design, specifications, and launch timeline are still based on leaks and should be treated as unofficial until the company makes a formal announcement.