Google's Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are taking android enthusiasts' attention away from the OnePlus, but it may be months before the underdog in the Android phone war regains attention.
Competing with Google's new device is the OnePlus 10 Pro, a flagship device whose full specs were leaked online by 91 Mobile in collaboration with mobile sleuthing Steve Hemmerstoffer (known online as OnLeaks).
If leaks are to be believed, the OnePlus 10 Pro, expected to launch in China in early 2022, will be a minor upgrade to one of the best Android phones in 2021, the OnePlus 9 Pro. The leaked specs include a 6.7-inch QHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate that sounds the same as the OnePlus 9 Pro's panel but is said to have curved edges similar to the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
On the back of the OnePlus 10 Pro is a square camera module that blends into the left side of the device. The module is equipped with three rear cameras: a 48mp main lens, a 50 mp ultra wide Angle lens, and an 8mp telephoto lens. On the front is a 32mp selfie lens.
Those who have been paying close attention to the OnePlus 10 Pro rumors may be disappointed that it lacks a periscope lens for long-distance shooting. Samsung and Huawei have brought this advanced camera technology to their latest flagship phones, giving users the flexibility to zoom in on distant objects (up to 100 times!).
Without additional lenses, onePlus will need some photo-manipulation magic to keep up with the competition. That said, it will be interesting to see the partnership between OnePlus and Swedish luxury imaging company Hasselblad announced shortly before the OnePlus 9 launch. Hasselblad has one more year, perhaps enough time to significantly affect the quality of OnePlus's camera.
For years, the OnePlus camera failed to compete with the best cellphone cameras from Apple, Google, and Samsung. Recognizing this, the company has invested more than $150 million in an "ongoing quest to provide the best smartphone camera experience."
From behind the camera, the OnePlus 10 Pro will run on Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC (until now, the chip has been widely referred to as the Snapdragon 898), which is expected to ship by the end of this month. The new chip comes with 8GB RAM/128GB storage or 12GB RAM/256GB storage options.
One notable upgrade is the 5,000mah battery, up from the 4,500mah battery of the previous model. Considering the OnePlus 9 Pro performed well in our uptime tests, you can expect at least a full day of battery life. The OnePlus's charging speed is still unbeatable, so sadly, the latest leak doesn't give us any details, other than to say it may arrive at a record 125W charging speed.
Back to the design, the OnePlus 10 Pro will have a perforated selfie camera in the upper left corner of the display. The iPhone-style alert slider and power button are said to be on the right edge, with the volume adjuster on the left. USB-c ports and speaker grilles will line the edge of the buttons.
Oneplus, once a darling of the Android phone brand is going through a difficult transition from offering value options to flagship models priced similarly to high-end iPhones and Galaxy phones. With Google pricing, its Pixel 6 phones so high, OnePlus faces an uphill battle convincing Android users that its phones are still the best value on the market.
