OnePlus is ten years old. The first OnePlus launched on April 22, 2014, and the brand has gained a devoted fan following over the years. We watched OnePlus play with different designs, jump into the foldable phone market, and experiment with tablets, watches, and wireless earbuds. However, the brand’s phone lineup continues to define it, and the rumor mill is churning about the OnePlus 13. We might see a redesigned camera array, the removal of wireless charging, and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip. Let’s dive in.
OnePlus 13: Design and specs
A flat screen and a redesigned camera array are coming
The OnePlus 12 kept the same design as the OnePlus 11. It has the same 6.8-inch curved-edge panel and round camera housing. OnePlus added wireless charging to its latest smartphone, something its predecessor lacked. However, there are rumors that the OnePlus 13 will drop wireless charging in exchange for a bigger 6,000 mAh battery.
For comparison, the OnePlus 12 packs a 5,400 mAh battery. Prominent Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station said OnePlus is adding a massive battery, bigger than the 5,000 mAh batteries found on a Samsung Galaxy device, to the OnePlus 13.
However, this increase in battery size may not translate into longer battery life, thanks to the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SOC the OnePlus 13 might get. This chip is reportedly a power hog, which may have forced OnePlus to provide a larger battery.
Digital Chat Station also claimed the device will feature a subtle-curved 6.8-inch display on all four edges. The tipster also claims the OnePlus 13 will be made from ceramic instead of glass. The same leaker said the OnePlus 13 would feature a custom 2K OLED display from BOE.
Renowned tipster Yogesh Brar seemed to support DCS’s claims. They leaked that the OnePlus 13 will use the same “micro-quad curved display” as the upcoming OPPO Find X8 Ultra, suggesting OnePlus will keep curved displays, albeit more subtle. This would give it a near-bezel-less look on all four sides without the frustrations of curved displays. Both leakers have a good track record, so we’re confident we will see a OnePlus 13 with practically no bezels.
It’s clear that OnePlus will change the camera housing by moving the camera array from the left of the phone’s back to the middle or by changing its shape. Yogesh Brar posted a sketch of the new design on Twitter, claiming the OnePlus 13 will keep the circular housing, but the 13R will feature a rectangular camera housing on the phone’s left side.
However, another Weibo leaker claims both camera housings will be rectangular and on the left of the phone’s rear. We’ll have to wait to see what OnePlus releases.
We are confident that the OnePlus 13 will be powered by Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the OnePlus 12 is a beast, so we’re excited to see what the next chip can do. This could become an extraordinary gaming phone if OnePlus keeps the same vapor chamber found in the OnePlus 12.
OnePlus 13: Cameras
Three 50MP cameras could be coming
Digital Chat Station shared on Weibo that the OnePlus 13 will feature a triple-camera array with 50MP sensors. This is a big swap from the OnePlus 12, which uses a 50MP main camera, a 64MP periscope zoom shooter, and a 48MP ultra-wide sensor. However, DCS claims all three 50MP sensors will feature a 3x zoom range.
If OnePlus swaps its lenses next year, expect those 50MP lenses to be bigger and better, likely capable of improved low-light performance. The same leaker also claimed that the OnePlus 13 will keep the same cameras as those found in the 12. Only time will tell what’s legit here.
We know that OnePlus will likely continue its ongoing partnership with Hasselblad, meaning we can continue taking stunning photos.
OnePlus 13: Software
A new Snapdragon chip and Android 15
We expect an updated version of Oxygen OS powered by Android 15 to ship with the OnePlus 13. The OnePlus 12 was refreshingly free of AI gimmicks, but that may change with the next phone, as Oppo is intent on releasing AI on every phone they manage, including OnePlus.
Android 15, meanwhile, will be the brains behind OxygenOS 15, which means we might see a lot of Google AI tools implemented, either through apps or through a partnership between the two companies. The TL;DR is that the next OnePlus phone will be heavy on AI. What else is new?
OnePlus 13: Price and release date
Don’t expect the same kind of deals we had with the OnePlus 12
OnePlus has confirmed that the OnePlus 13 will launch in China in October. The company’s convention has been to release the phone first for the Chinese market, with an international release shortly after. Last year, we saw the OnePlus 12 launch in December in China, with a global release in January. So, we expect the OnePlus 13 to reach US shores by the end of this year or early 2025.
The price of the new device remains a mystery. The OnePlus 12 is $799, but the company offers steep discounts for trade-ins. If you trade in the right phone, you can get one for as low as $500. However, we don’t expect this to continue.
For starters, component prices are higher this year than last. We expect the OnePlus 13 to start around the $899 mark. Pricing for the past few OnePlus phones has been all over the place, so a new price for the OnePlus 13 won’t be surprising. We also won’t be surprised if OnePlus cuts the discounts it offers for trade-ins.
Much of OnePlus’s pricing will depend on what Samsung does in January. OnePlus likes to undercut its biggest competitors, so we may see a price drop if Samsung’s Galaxy S25 is priced similarly.
The anticipation is building
OnePlus 13 could be a smaller update than the OnePlus 12, but even iterative updates can be exciting. We’re particularly interested in the new screen layout and what OnePlus does with the camera housing. We’ll keep this roundup updated as more information comes in, so stay tuned!
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